Kokoro no Ai
by RayJay
Summary: After the death of Miroku, Sango looses all hope of ever falling in love again, but can the most unlikely someone change her hardened heart in the most unpredictable way? (Rating recently changed to M to play it safe; mainly T content however)
1. Prologue

**_Kokoro no Ai_**  
  
_By: RayJay  
_  
_Rated: PG-13 (violence, language at some points and small limes)  
  
(I've decided that I'm going to try a pairing that I have NEVER written before!)_

_.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..  
_  
_**Prologue...**_  
  
A thick droplet of rain fell from the sky, splashing into a nearby puddle, distracting a dark and melancholy gaze. A sigh escaped the lips of the woman who say shivering under the base of the Goshinboku with her knees curled up to her chest, a small fire neko demon resting uneasily in her crunched lap. Another drop pelted into the pool of water, and then another until rain was falling from the sky in constant streams.  
  
"It'll be all right, y'know," a raspy tenor voice sounded from above her. In an instant, she had tilted her head up, meeting two amber eyes that seemed to be as strained and anxious as her own. The silver haired hanyou was in his favorite spot in a tree branch, his fluffy dog-ears twitching towards Kaede's hut every now and then.  
  
"Yes, I hope that it will be," she murmured, mostly to herself but knew that the half demon that was perched up in the tree could hear her. But, her heart contracted painfully when she remembered the awful events that had occurred only hours before. A wracking sob slipped from her lips as unbidden tears blended with the drops of rain on her face.  
  
Her eyes shifted to her side when she heard feet squish into the slick mud next to her, seeing the redness of Inuyasha's puffy pants that were mud stained near the bottom. "Don't _do_ that..." the hanyou told her, his voice characteristically gruff, but sounded worried as well.  
  
The young woman nodded, in an effort to be strong, to hide her tears, to recollect herself, but the attempts were in vain. More unwanted tears gushed from her dark eyes as she bit her lip to stifle her sob.  
  
"Sango," Inuyasha snapped, watching her with slight guilt when her soaked, miserable form stiffened from his tone of voice.  
  
"What?" she replied, her voice thick and shaky as she let a struggling Kirara off of her lap to bound off towards the warmth and dryness of Kaede's hut.  
  
The condescending and insensitive words he had wanted to say died in his throat when he realized how upset she was. He sighed and shifted his weight uncomfortably, wondering what he could do to possibly better the situation at bay and ease her anxiety. _What would Kagome want me to do?_ Shrugging mentally, the hanyou plopped down next to the crying tajiya and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into his warmth in an awkward gesture of comfort.  
  
Sango stiffened for a moment before she relaxed and closed her eyes, hoping to stop the reoccurring streams of salty liquid that were dispersing continually from her eyes. She laid in Inuyasha's gently embrace, feeling a bit more calm than she had moments before.  
  
"He hates it when you cry," The hanyou murmured quietly close to her ear, his voice sounding very meaningful. "If you're goin' to go in there, you'd better collect yourself and wipe your eyes," he added, pulling away from her. At that moment, Kagome exited Kaede's hut.  
  
Inuyasha bounded through the squishiness of the mud, puddles splashing all around him until he was standing before the girl from the future. Sango watched the scene, sniffling a bit as she wiped one eye with the back of her hand. The two conversed in the distance for a moment before Kagome collapsed weakly into the hanyou's arms, her wails evident and reaching Sango's ears.  
  
_Oh no... Kami-sama... Please no..._ She thought in dismay and supreme anxiety, more tears spilling down over her cheeks as she got to her feet, swaying a moment before she started to trek rather quickly toward the hut, falling into a disgruntled heap when her sandal got stuck in the mud. She fell face first into the dirty substance but would not let that stop her. She had to see him. She had to know what was happening.  
  
Kagome's eyes widened and she pulled out of Inuyasha's arms and reached out to try and stop Sango from entering the hut, her eyes puffy and her face red from her tears. The hanyou halted her and told her softly to let her go and see for herself. The high school girl from the future looked up and met Inuyasha's eyes, seeing how solemn and anxious they were at the moment and agreed with him, sagging into his arms again for warmth.

. . .  
  
Sango pushed the soggy door out of her way as she stood in the entrance of the hut, mud dripping from her form, her hair sticking to her face from the rain. She swallowed and wiped her face quickly, a tremor going through her body when she heard a wholly recognizable voice.  
  
"S... San... go..." The young man on a cot in the corner rasped, his hand, covered in bloodstains reached up weakly in search of her. Tears slid down the tajiya's cheeks as she slowly approached the bed, her gaze meeting the old miko's in hope. Kaede shook her head remorsefully and then got up to leave the room. Sango had to choke back a sob when she realized that the fatally wounded young man would probably not live through the night.  
  
Carefully, the tajiya's hand touched the young man's and she held it gently, running her fingers over his knuckles. She swallowed again when he pulled her down to her knees so that he could see her face more clearly. Violet eyes, while weak and in pain, looked upon her in desire, mischief... and pure adoration. Sango blushed under his gaze as one teardrop fell from her eye and landed on the cot.  
  
"Houshi-sama..." The tajiya whispered, looking him over, seeing his body in its frail, mangled condition. She sniffled and closed her eyes, resting her head on the cot beside his head to hide her face from him.  
  
"Even now... when I am on the brink of death... You... call me... houshi-sama..." The young monk wheezed in disbelief and in slight tease as he tried his best to chuckle warmly before he broke into a rasping cough. Sango's head shot up and she reached out over his body to still him, her head only inches from his grinning face. The young man beneath the slender, attractive demon slayer reached up with his hand, the was no longer cursed with the kazaana and stroked her muddy, tear streaked face softly, his fingers wandering through her damp bangs.  
  
"What would you have me call you?" Sango asked softly, blushing at his gentle caresses and the close proximity she had with the young monk at this moment. A sigh passed his lips and the tajiya's blush deepened as his warm breath breezed against her face.  
  
"Call me... by my name..." he replied, craning his neck upward the best that he could and brushed his lips against her forehead.  
  
"Miroku..." she whispered, gasping as his lips pressed against her cheek and then the other. "Miroku..." she said again, her voice drifting a bit as his free hand slithered down the curves of her hips. "Miro-" she started to repeat until his lips ended her word. The tajiya's eyes closed and she leaned into his warmth, kissing his back with equal fervor and passion. She moaned to spite herself, realizing she had never felt something of this nature before and was a bit unimpressed when Miroku pulled back from her, his eyes calm.  
  
"Sango... I should have said this... when the confrontation with Naraku was finished..." The houshi whispered, both up his hands cupping her tanned, heart shaped face. "I love you... and I want only you... to bear my children..." he told her, stroking her cheeks lightly, his lips turned up in an ironic, but sincere smile.  
  
"Oh houshi-sama-- I mean Miroku," she sobbed, tears falling down her cheeks, trailing over the young man's fingers and down his torn and bloodied robes.  
  
"Do not cry, beloved... I can't bear to see your lovely face in tears..." The houshi whispered, wiping her tears with his thumbs, kissing her softly on the lips to comfort her. Without her notice, his hand traveled down and squeezed her on the buttocks. If it had been any incident other than this one, he would have been slapped but Sango moaned at that moment, leaning in for more of his touch. That was, until he gasped and winced from pain.  
  
The young woman jumped back in alarm, seeing his grimace and apologized immediately. "Oh Koishii, I'm so sorry," she whispered, kissing his bloodied hand, not caring in the least that the smell of wounds was heavy all around him.  
  
"Gently, Sango," he told her softly, reaching out to cup her under the chin. "I was a fool for not seeing... that you were... the only woman for me," he added, his hand falling limp slightly.  
  
"Oh Miroku..." The tajiya whimpered, fresh tears sliding down her cheeks as she bent over him, stroking his bangs out of his eyes. "Aishiteru," she whispered, kissing him as forcefully as she could without hurting him. He moaned in delight and pulled her closer to him, pulling back when he was short of breath.  
  
"Sango... I will not make it through the night... I know this," he told her, his violet eyes pained and somewhat unstable as he spoke those words. Sango bit her lip to keep from wailing in sorrow. "I... I would gladly... marry you... and live with you... you are a fine woman... Beautiful... Intelligent... Brave... Strong..." he took in a deep breath, his voice somewhat more labored now. "Find a man... who will take the utmost care of you... who will love you... who will respect you... more than I used to," he whispered, a tear falling out of his own eye.  
  
"Miroku... Don't leave me... Not now," she pleaded him, running her fingers through the length of his hair.  
  
"My eyes are dark... I... I can't see you anymore..." Miroku whispered, his violet eyes somewhat paler now as they darted carelessly in all directions. "Sango... Do not grieve for me... you must be strong and move on... start a family of your own... repair your village..." he added, his voice barely coming out. The tajiya held a hand to her mouth as she trembled with her tears. "Sango... my lovely Sango... I cannot see you... but... I know you continue to cry..." he added. "Smile for me... please..."  
  
"How will you see me... If your eyes have darkened?" she asked.  
  
"I will know..." he replied, groping his hand out until she took it and placed it to her lips and then she smiled. It was a sad smile, but a smile all the same.  
  
"Oh Sango... I can die happy now..." Miroku stated before his hand went limp, the last ounce of breath leaving his body. Sango jolted for a moment, reaching up towards his neck to feel a pulse, hoping that he was only pretending to give her a scare... but... he was not...  
  
"_**NO!"**_ The tajiya wailed, falling onto the ground in a jumbled heap, her tears splashing all around her. All those in the village were able to hear her miserable sobs.

. . .  
  
A grave was constructed for the houshi beneath the Goshinboku. Sango had chosen that spot for him, knowing that under the Goshinboku that many souls could have peace and rest. Inuyasha placed his wrapped up body into the hole he had dug and then buried him, patting the soil down firmly.  
  
Kagome and Kaede placed special sutras and old charms around his grave and Shippo left some flowers. Sango also left some flowers, tears splashing onto the grave soil.  
  
"Miroku... You were one hell of a houshi..." Inuyasha whispered remorsefully, feeling his chest tighten as he turned away, not wanting to show everyone how he really felt. Loosing him was actually more painful than he had thought it would be. Kagome said her thanks next.  
  
"Miroku... You were always the um... 'different' type of gentleman...but I knew you had a good heart. Thank you," she said to him, her eyes watering as she nodded before Shippo stepped forward.  
  
"Kagome..." The kitsune boy whispered, sniffling a little bit.  
  
"What is it, Shippo-chan?" She asked him gently, kneeling before the grave beside him.  
  
"I... I dunno what to say to him..." he sobbed, falling onto the high school girl's lap. "Miroku! I didn't want you to go! Even though you were a dirty old man I still liked you! I'm going to miss you!" he wailed, throwing a small top on the surface of the grave.  
  
"Oh Shippo," Kagome smiled softly at him, rubbing his back as she attempted to hide her own tears. Kaede said a prayer and then stepped back.  
  
Sango stepped forward and knelt before the grave, closing her eyes.  
  
"Do you need to be by yourself?" Kagome asked her good friend gently, nodding to her in reply when Sango told her it was all right for them to stay.  
  
"Miroku... You were always _touching_ me where I didn't want to be touched, making me _jealous _by always rushing towards another woman when you would tell me that I was truly beautiful and I _never_ knew when you were being sincere or dirty..." Sango shouted at the grave in annoyance, watching as everyone around her winced and took a step back.  
  
"But..." she continued, a tear falling down her face. "The last few minutes of your life... I saw the man you would have been if you had lived... I saw... that you really did love me and I knew that I would have been happy to be with you... I am only sorry that we did not realize this sooner," she finished and bowed to the grave, her tears soaking into the soil of the grave.  
  
"Oh Sango..." Kagome whispered, leaning onto Inuyasha softly, tears of joy and slight pity falling from her eyes.  
  
"Ironic indeed," Kaede mumbled, her head drooping a bit for respect for the dead but she did not show any other emotion.  
  
"And so ends Miroku's line," Inuyasha stated, his voice hallow and sullen as the group of people walked towards Kaede's hut to begin the period of mourning.

. . .  
  
_Writer's Corner:_  
  
Oh lordy! That was more depressing than I had originally planned it to be but now I have more of an idea of what the pairing is going to be! Ok... Are you ready for it? Or should I just leave you in suspense. Ok... I'll give you some hint...  
  
It's someone that you probably wouldn't really expect to see with Sango unless it was alternate universe but this is not alternate universe. You can take your guesses and all shall be revealed in either the next chapter or the chapter after that! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!


	2. Chapter One

_Writer's Corner:_

_Ok, maybe now I'm deciding that I'm going to be a little bit evil. YOU figure out who the pairing is going to be!_

_._  
  
**_Chapter One:_**

**_. . ._**  
  
_A month has passed since Miroku's departure of this world... My beloved houshi... It is still very hard to believe that his presence is still here. Sometimes I even think that he will appear behind me and graze his hand over my behind like he used to do. Yes, it was indecent, but what I wouldn't do to feel his hand, his touch... His life force...  
  
I did not realize that I loved him as much as I did. In fact, I still love him, even though he is not here to return it. I tend to get lonely sometimes though without his flirtatious and lecherous presence... I miss it severely...  
  
Kagome, Inuyasha and myself have been mourning for the past month and they are deciding that we should continue our search for the re-broken jewel. There are a lot of ironic things in this world. Moments before we defeated Naraku, in his last act of self-preservation and temperance, he broke the jewel and sent the shards in all directions. We worked so hard to collect the fragments only to have them broken again. Secondly, the short-lived romance between Miroku and myself. When he finally was ready to be loyal... he died... And also... The kazaana that had threatened to end his life was gone... and he had died from flesh wounds...  
  
His violet eyes still plague me in my sleep and though I wish these thoughts would leave me... I wish his presence were in my bed... I wish I were sleeping with him... I wish that I had made love to him at least once... But my body is virginal... and that is how it shall probably be until I am a withered old maid. I am past the courting age as well. No man would want to court or marry a woman who is nineteen years old, going on twenty.  
  
I envy Kagome-chan for she and Inuyasha, as of late, have realized their feelings for one another. They are perhaps 'taking it slow' as she says and will return to her time in a matter of years to have a modern 'wedding ceremony' in a 'church' I suppose. It is at times like these when I wish to be alone... away from the quest for the Shikon no Tama... for Kohaku is dead to me anyways...  
  
I have lost my family, my love... and any possible reasons for living... But still... There is a strange feeling... nagging in my heart that tells me I am needed somewhere, but it is not here. Someone, someone unlikely... needs me... I have ignored this but even now, I feel like I need to explore... to find that someone... whoever they are... And perhaps be with them...  
_  
_Kami-sama... I am now writing more than I need... I am very glad that Kagome- chan gave me this 'journal' so that I may write my thoughts and feelings down. It has proved to be very useful.  
  
As for the quest of the Shikon no Tama, going back to the subject that I was talking about earlier, I might not even continue to travel with Kagome, Inuyasha and Shippo... I might become my own group and search for the jewel for my own purposes... For the jewel can grant any wish... And my wish would be...  
_  
Sango stopped writing for a moment and bit down on the end of the 'ball point pen' that Kagome was letting her use. What would her wish be? Violet eyes flashed through her mind along with an all too familiar rich chuckle. She sighed and returned her hand to the pages of the journal and proceeded to write.  
  
_My wish would be that houshi-sama... Miroku... could come back and live with me for as long as our lives will be... I would want that very much... But, my wrist is starting to ache so I might as well stop writing and return Kagome- chan her 'pen'... I think that's what it's called...  
_  
The tajiya set down the ball point pen beside the open journal and closed the small book and then opened it again, flipping through all of the interesting pages that were colored and covered in lines that she was supposed to write on. _What a very interesting little book... More interesting than those large 'text books' that she's always bringing here and complaining about_, Sango thought to herself as she grabbed the pen and the journal and walked to Kaede's hut, where she found Shippo snacking on a cookie and Kagome and her hanyou arguing severely.  
  
"I wanna start looking for the jewel again! We've been off of the task for about a month now!" Inuyasha barked impatiently, pulling the outstretched yellow backpack out of Kagome's arms, grinning mischievously when she gasped and glared at him.  
  
"Well you know what? You can wait two days until my exams are done! These are the last three tests of the year! I need one day to go back and study, and one day take the tests!" She shouted in his puppy ears, yanking her pack back, only to fall backwards when the hanyou asserted some strength and held tightly. She hit her head on the wooden floor of the hut and winced.  
  
"Kagome!" Shippo cried, crumbs flying everywhere as he bounded over to where she was now sprawled out on the floor.  
  
"Are you all right, Kagome-chan?" The tajiya asked, bending down by her side, placing the journal and the pen on the ground near the door. The high school girl from the future nodded, massaging the developing lump on the back of her head. Three gazes pined the hanyou who was looking equally guilty with wide amber eyes. He swallowed and inched backwards a bit.  
  
"Well?" Sango demanded, her gaze very meaningful.  
  
"Well WHAT?" Inuyasha snapped, his face looking deeply sorry and agitated at the same time. The tajiya pointed obviously towards Kagome who was staring at him expectantly, her hand rubbing at her head as she winced a bit. The hanyou sighed and dropped his shoulders, his eyes fixating on Kagome.  
  
"Aren't you going to apologize?" Shippo ordered, crossing his little arms across his chest. Inuyasha growled and ignored him, adjusting his position a bit. Feeling cornered and pressured at the same time, the hanyou grabbed for Kagome's arm and dragged her to her feet. He then proceeded by pulling her out of the hut.  
  
Sango and Shippo scrambled a bit to see what was going on out there without Inuyasha noticing and they smiled a bit at what they saw.  
  
Inuyasha started to beat around the bush with his words and stutter a bit but then he pulled Kagome into his arms unceremoniously and kissed her 'wound' on the back of her head.  
  
_I guess that counts as an apology_, Sango thought to herself as she exited the hut, taking in a breath of clean air. The couple a small distance from herself laughed softly and started to tease one another a bit, making her sigh at the loss. She would never have that sort of a relationship she thought with dismay.  
  
"Oi, Sango!" Inuyasha called, waving over to her. "Come here!" The tajiya made her way over to where the hanyou and his mate were standing and smiled at them.  
  
"I see you've gotten over your differences," She said, mostly to Inuyasha. Kagome giggled and the hanyou shrugged, his cheeks blushing red as he shifted uncomfortably and uneasily. "Did you need something?" she asked, getting to the point of why he had called her over.  
  
"When do you think that we should start collecting the jewel as a group again?" Kagome questioned her, her dark eyes alight with slight excitement. Sango thought about this for a moment, her thoughts going back to what she had written in her journal...  
  
_As for the quest of the Shikon no Tama, going back to the subject that I was talking about earlier, I might not even continue to travel with Kagome, Inuyasha and Shippo... I might become my own group and search for the jewel for my own purposes...  
_  
"Um... Well, Kagome-chan and Inuyasha... I..." She stammered, wondering how she was to explain what she was going to say before she was going to say it. "I do not think I will accompany you this time through," the tajiya replied, watching as their faces washed with shock a bit.  
  
"Why?" The Inu hanyou inquired, his face looking genuinely bewildered.  
  
_What do I say? What is the best reason I can give besides wanting to go and seek the jewel for my own purposes... Oh Kami-sama... That is so selfish of me..._ she thought, deciding that perhaps she would not search for the jewel for her own purposes. She composed herself quickly and gave the first answer that came to her mind. "I want to go to my village and repair things, possibly bring more people to live there. I would be the head of the village I suppose, since there are really no others left besides me."  
  
Kagome's faces lightened in understanding and she nodded, taking Sango's hands in her own. "Well then," she said, her voice happy and cheerful. "We'll be sure to come and visit you and see how your progress is going in a few months. Aren't you happy for her Inuyasha?" She asked the hanyou, releasing the tajiya's hands to gaze at her mate.  
  
Inuyasha shrugged and made a kind of 'I don't know' face. "I guess so. Are you goin' to be ok getting there by yourself?" He questioned, sliding his arm around Kagome's waist.  
  
"Yes, I should be all right. I'll take Kirara with me and we'll probably stop by an open market to buy supplies," Sango replied, brushing a lock of her dark hair that had escaped her low ponytail behind her ear.  
  
"When are you leaving?" The high school girl from the future wondered aloud.  
  
"Well... When are you going to go back to your time, Kagome-chan?" The tajiya replied, starting to walk with her very good friend towards the Goshinboku where Miroku's gravesite was. Her eyes drifted over the lump, beat down soil and she sighed.  
  
"As soon as Inuyasha lets me... Which should be right now," she whispered in response, seeing her friend's blank stare. Her own eyes went down to Miroku's grave and she sighed, putting an arm around her best friend. "I bet that right now he's watching over you," she added.  
  
Sango nodded and let out a shaking breath before Inuyasha's barged over and barked at Kagome, telling her she had only two days in her time or else he'd drag her back. The tajiya laughed at their antics and said goodbye to her best friend, hugging her tightly.  
  
"I'll make sure we come out of the way to see how you're doing and who knows! You might want to start traveling with us again!" Kagome exclaimed as she ran into the hut and grabbed her pack, kissing Inuyasha on the cheek and saying one last goodbye to Sango before she leapt over the side of the well and was gone.

. . .  
  
"Do you have to go?" Shippo whined as he handed Sango the journal that Kagome had given her. The tajiya nodded but scooped up the kitsune and gave him a big hug, stroking his tail softly. "I'll miss you," he whispered softly, making the young woman smile.  
  
"I'll miss you too, Shippo-chan," she replied, setting him down while she slung her hiraikotsu over her shoulders and took the pouches of materials that Kaede was handing to her.  
  
"Here are some herbs and some tea leaves. I have also packed ye some food in case ye get hungry," the old miko told her, bowing and nodded to her once. Sango did the same and smiled in appreciation. She then exited the hut and called out for Kirara, waiting for her to come.  
  
"I hope you know you'll be missed around here," Inuyasha's voice came from behind her. The tajiya whirled around to see him standing there, his head ###### to the side, his arms crossed impatiently over his chest. "You don't have to go," he told her as he walked closer to her.  
  
"Yes, I know but I really want to return to my village and start things over again," she replied, sighing a bit. "Are you saying that you want me to stay with the three of you, Inuyasha?"  
  
The hanyou shrugged and looked a bit bored but then shifted his weight to the other foot. "I don't know. You've been with us for a couple of years, that's all. I just want you to know you can always come running back if you need to," he answered her, falling back a step when Sango hugged him tightly for a moment, sliding his one arm awkwardly around her so he would avoid the hiraikotsu. The young woman pulled back and bowed to him, thanking him for everything.  
  
"I probably would still be out hunting you with the jewel shard in my back if you had not spared mercy and showed me what a monster Naraku was. I thank you for it, Inuyasha," Sango added, turning away to approach the Goshinboku where she uttered a silent prayer.  
  
_Miroku... I will return to my village... And after I have settled down for a bit, I will start to collect more and more shards of the sacred jewel so that I may be able to get my wish to bring you back...  
_  
With that, the tajiya stood and found Kirara waiting for her near the beginning of Inuyasha's Forest as she started to travel west, her heart strong and her mind determined.

. . .   
  
_Writer's Corner:  
_  
Just one hint. This is not an Inuyasha/Sango fic. Sorry for those of you who were hoping it would be! There's Inuyasha/Kagome stuff in here though.


	3. Chapter Two

**_Chapter Two:_**

**_. . ._**  
  
A tremble surged from the large feline that a fairly attractive tajiya was riding on as the two figures continued to travel through the forest. She had goods strapped on her back as well as her weapon as they went on. The young woman's eyes clouded with concern from the shaking that her mode of transportation had let forth and she dismounted quickly, taking the feline's fluffy face into her hands. The neko youkai purred delightfully and reverted to her smaller kitten size and leapt into her master's arms.  
  
"I'm sorry, Kirara. I should have realized that you were tired earlier," she said down to the relaxed feline who was in her arms. Sighing, Sango readjusted the pack that she was carrying and the hiraikotsu to a more comfortable position on her back and started to walk, her eyes sharp and her mind clear so that she could focus on any demon auras or any sounds nearby.

. . .  
  
"Jaken-sama?" A girl whispered, her dark brown eyes wide with panic as she continued to stumble blindly through the thick trees and wholly unfamiliar territory. "Uh oh... Rin is... Rin is lost!" her meek voice frightened as she swallowed hard as she continued to stumble blindly through the wholly unfamiliar territory.  
  
Suddenly, a movement in the bushes behind the child startled her and she whirled quickly to see a lady holding a small kitten with packages and a large boomerang strapped to her back._ Kitty?_ Rin wondered in her mind thinking that she had seen that neko youkai before... only it seemed larger and angrier...  
  
As her mind drifted, her thoughts went back to something her lord had told her when she had gotten lost before.  
  
_"Never follow a stranger with a weapon. They could cause you harm..."  
_  
Taking those words of advice into consideration, the girl promptly scurried into a bush as quietly as she could, feeling a bit of fear rising in her chest. She would simply wait until the strange lady with her kitty had passed through and then she would yell for her dependable rescuer.

. . .  
  
Two small golden ears perked at the barely noticeable sound of leaves rustling together. It was not the cause of the wind. A feline nose rose to sniff the air quickly. Sango watched her loyal neko demon's alerted reflexes and looked around.  
  
"What is it, Kirara?" she asked softly, gasping slightly when her small fire cat leapt from her hold and onto the ground, springing into a nearby bush. A terrified squeal was elicited shortly afterwards. A small girl bounded out and tripped over an elaborate kimono therefore loosing her footing as well as her balance, toppling onto the lush grass of the forest floor.  
  
Sango jogged lightly over, dropping her belongings and her weapons within her reach and knelt down to help the clearly frightened, well dressed girl up, her mind struggling to remember why the girl seemed somewhat familiar.  
  
"Ow!" The girl cried, lifting her elegant, now torn and grass stained kimono up a bit, revealing a freshly cut knee. When she saw Sango coming a little bit closer, she tried to scramble to her feet, having no avail. "No!" she shouted, shielding her face, flopping down onto the ground again, her body curling up into a ball.  
  
The tajiya drew back a moment in confusion as she watched the young girl's antics, her eyes scanning her over. _Why, she looks to be only eight or nine! Why is such a young girl wandering out here by herself?_ She thought, reaching out to pull the girl's arms away from her slightly dirty face.  
  
Upon hearing the child's ragged, unsure pace of breath and seeing the fear in her dark eyes, the young woman smiled warmly down at her, watching as the young girl's demeanor softened quite a bit from just the simple smile. "I'm not going to hurt you, little one," Sango told the girl in warm humor, laughing softly, drawing away from her to sit up, her gaze fixated on the small girl.  
  
"Hm?" The child wondered aloud, her eyes looking Sango over in a scrutinizing manner for a moment before she let out a defeated sigh.  
  
"I'm sorry Kirara frightened you. She was just curious," Sango added, letting out a dainty snort of amusement when her small neko demon rubbed around her seated legs affectionately, purring audibly.  
  
"Oh..." The child replied, reaching her hand out in an uncertain way towards Kirara. "Can..." she started to say but trailed off. "Can Rin touch it?" she finished, giving Sango a toothy grin when she nodded in compliance.  
  
_Rin... Rin... Rin... Why is that name ringing an unsaid bell?_ The young woman shook herself from her thoughts, watching with a soft smile as Kirara purred and arched against the small girl's hand. The girl named Rin laughed gleefully, the feeling of the soft fur beneath her fingers tickling her a little bit. The fun and games was over as quickly as it started when Kirara's fur began to stand on end and she began to hiss into the trees situated behind Rin.  
  
Sango's eyes widened in alarm as she grabbed for her hiraikotsu, slinging her regular kimono off to the side, revealing her tight, pink and black outfit that she wore to slay demons. Rin let out a cry of fear as she scrambled out of the way.  
  
"Rin! Go and hide!" The young woman snapped towards the scared little girl, making sure that she was out of the way of the battle. She was brought back to the matter before her when something sharp sliced into her arm, sending a hot, wrenching pain throughout her middle. She cried out as her blood, hot and thick, oozed down her arm, her dark eyes darting wildly in search of her attacker. "Damn it!" she cursed, looking about her, realizing that the youkai who had just attacked her was now hiding.  
  
Kirara was ready for this however and transformed in a blast of flame and leapt into the trees above the tajiya but came crashing down towards the ground moments later, being trailed by a hungry looking breed of youkai the likes of which Sango had never seen or even studied before.  
  
"Kirara!" The young woman screamed, throwing her hiraikotsu with her uninjured arm towards the demon, only to watch as it dematerialized in a length of speed and appeared across the clearing, in front of the bush that Rin was currently hiding in.  
  
Sango watched in worry and in anger when her neko demon hit the ground and shrunk in size to her small kitten form, unconscious. Seeing the location of the dangerous youkai now frightened her even more as she saw the small girl trembling in bush. She again threw her hiraikotsu and predicted the movement of the youkai, bringing a casket of red poison from her belt and flung it into the air towards the hungry youkai.  
  
"Poison?" The demon cried, shielding his face, crouching over to avoid the red substance in the air.  
  
"Rin!" Sango shouted towards her. "Run away from the poison!" she ordered, seeing the young girl following directions, running out of sight. _Oh wonderful! Now more youkai will be able to target her..._ The tajiya thought as she drew her dagger, drawing her breathing mask up over her mouth and nose as she charged the youkai, hoping to stab the beast at least once... But the demon was far ahead of her.  
  
The youkai clutched her good arm that now held the dagger, laughing cruelly when she struggled. "Does this hurt?" it sneered, grinding her bones a bit, enjoying her torment as she bit her lip to keep from making a sound. "You and that fire neko will make a fine meal," the creature continued, hurling the wounded tajiya down onto the ground within a far extended arm's reach of her weapon. "And then I will eat the child for dessert," it laughed, stepping on her bleeding arm that he had slashed earlier. Tears sprung into Sango's eyes from the pain but she would not cry.  
  
The tajiya's gaze was distracted when she heard Rin's cry of sheer terror. In her last act of desperation, Sango lunged out towards her boomerang and flung it towards the youkai, praying that it would at least catch him off his guard for a moment... But it did not...  
  
"HELP!" Rin cried, scurrying past the youkai as he watched her, his eyes flashing in hunger as he toyed with the child. The girl ran to Sango's side, shaking her briefly, gasping when the demon came closer, his eyes alight with bloodlust and starvation. He was going to enjoy their deaths.  
  
"Rin... Run away and save yourself..." Sango whispered, her eyes growing heavy as she fought unconsciousness. She had fought dangerously even with her horrible wound that was spurting blood and still was spurting blood. _Damn it... How could I be so careless even when a child's life is on the line? Even if I am unconscious now... I will not die... _She thought before she heard a cry of joy from Rin.  
  
The last thing she saw before she slipped into blackness was the youkai getting sliced in two by a magnificent sword and a flash of long, thick white hair as it bounced off of a very powerful able body...

. . .  
  
Water, cold and slippery bounced off of Sango's face as she coughed and sputtered in alarm. She tried to sit up quickly but winced and fell back as she used her bruised but capable arm to wipe the water from her eyes.  
  
"There girl. Are you happy now? The wench is awake!" An irritating, high, raspy voice sounded in anger towards a certain girl. The tajiya let out an 'oomf!' sound when something crashed into her side.  
  
"Lady! Lady! You're alive! Rin was so worried!" The girl cried, her voice sounding relieved. Sango nodded and sighed, sitting up carefully, if not weakly. She blinked several times to clear her vision and gazed around at her surroundings. Her eyes were wide.  
  
A feral looking two-headed dragon was grazing only steps away from her, not paying any attention to anything around it. A toad carrying a staff stood next to the beast, his bulbous yellow eyes narrowed and staring insolently at her while Rin was grinning at her as she sat next to her. Sango let out a confused sound.  
  
"Where am I?" She asked, looking to her arm that had been bleeding earlier to see that it was starting to close over a bit and that none of the blood had been cleaned from it. _Damn it. I'm going to get an infection..._ she thought, before a deep voice made her jump from its sudden sound.  
  
"Jaken, fetch some water," it said, regal tones reeking from the aloof and rich voice. Sango swallowed and turned her head to see Sesshomaru standing in all of his glory.  
  
"Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin cried, leaping to her feet, embracing the taiyoukai's legs firmly. The young woman watched the scene, her mouth tilting a bit in amusement as she fought to conceal it. Sesshomaru looked indifferent save for the mixed look of embarrassment and adoration he had gazing down at the child. "You are back," she said, pulling away from his legs to plop down in her spot beside Sango again, her face generally pleased to see him. This surprised Sango because, even though he had been in alliance with her group during the battle with Naraku, it never occurred to the tajiya that anyone could be happy to see the cold demon lord. "The lady is awake," Rin added, pointing a slightly dirtied hand towards Sango.  
  
"She is," Sesshomaru nodded, his face the usual stoic façade that he always wore. He strode over to Ah Un and pulled lengthy bandages from a package on the side of the dragon's saddle and strode over to her gracefully to where Sango was seated and tossed them to her.  
  
The cloth fluttered and landed daintily in her lap. The tajiya looked down at it and then her gaze flicked up to the taiyoukai's face in confusion. The bewilderment was not what the cloth was for. It was why he had given the bandaging supplements to her.  
  
"This Jaken has brought the water my lord requested," The toad squawked, bringing a pot of water and held it so the golden eyes of the Inuyoukai could see.  
  
"Give it to the tajiya. She has need to dress her wounds," The taiyoukai told Jaken, his face a bit hard as he watched his vassal set the water before the young woman. _Fatal human wounds,_ he thought in scorn, his nose wrinkling at the strong scent of her dried crusted blood. _Disgusting.  
_  
Sango was extremely surprised and caught off of her guard by all of this. Were Sesshomaru and his company actually taking care of her? It was a bit overwhelming for her. _I can't say anything because I don't know what to say!_ The tajiya thought foolishly, feeling supremely stupid at the moment. _I feel as if a cat has my tongue- Cat... CAT!_ "Kirara!" She burst out of no where, causing Sesshomaru to look down at her in bewilderment, along with a pair of dragon heads, yellow orbs and two dark almond shaped eyes. "Where is my fire neko?" she asked, her voice dripping worry and anxiety.  
  
"Your kitty?" Rin asked gently, ####### her head to the side. "She's sleeping over there," the child pointed, under the base of a tree. "Rin carried her all the way over here after Sesshomaru-sama got rid of the bad youkai," she finished, her eyes going upwards in triumph as they praised the tall, proud demon.  
  
"She is poisoned," The taiyoukai stated, his golden eyes going to the small ball of fluff that was the tajiya's 'pet'. "The youkai that you faced had strong venom inside of his mouth that was elevated by the power of some shards of the Shikon no Tama," He finished, a bored look coming over his face. A low rumble escaped the human girl who sat beside Sango's stomach and the Inuyoukai's golden eyes were distracted by it.  
  
The girl blushed and clamped her hands over her stomach, flashing an innocent toothy grin towards the demon. Sango was somewhat amused by the way Rin was able to be so carefree and happy around Sesshomaru. Her first initial thought had been that anything around the powerful youkai was either suffering or dead.  
  
"Um... Sesshomaru-sama... Rin is hungry?" The girl giggled, shrugging a little bit. The tall Inuyoukai shook his head in either disbelief or exasperation, Sango was able to tell, and watched as he called to Jaken's attention that the girl was hungry.  
  
"Roast the game that I hunted earlier. That should prove to be a feasible task for you," The demon lord told the toad, his voice laced with unspoken threats. _And it might possibly take away some of my frustration from the earlier incident of you letting Rin wander off when you were supposed to be watching her..._ Sesshomaru thought, watching the retreating forms of his vassal and of his human charge. His attention was distracted when he heard a hiss from the tajiya behind him. His golden gaze was fixated on the wound that she was trying to clean carefully without reopening.  
  
"Tell me," Sesshomaru said down to the young woman who was wiping away dried blood off of her arm.  
  
Sango's dark eyes looked up to meet his intense honey colored eyes. _They are so similar to Inuyasha's_, she thought, _only the hanyou's are less cold and less reserved...  
_  
"Why have you stopped traveling with the useless half-breed?" The taiyoukai finished, his arms sliding into the sleeves of his robes, much in trademark of Inuyasha's, Sango noted. The tajiya also got a flash of his false arm and saw that it was that of a wolf. "It seemed you had grown an emotional weakness to all of those in your group."  
  
Sango concentrated on wrapping her arm snugly, to keep the wound from being exposed to bacteria that could cause infection and tied a one handed knot the best that she could with her bruised and sore arm. She sighed and reached into the pot of water and wiped her dirtied face with it, running her hand through her disheveled and thoroughly mussed hair. "The answer is in my privacy, Lord Sesshomaru. I highly doubt that you like it when others pry," The young woman replied politely to the taiyoukai, watching him with relief when he nodded and discontinued talk on the subject.  
  
_Wait... I am talking to Sesshomaru?_ Sango thought. _Who knew that he could form proper conversation?  
_  
"When I slaughtered the demon earlier, Rin started to cry when I went to leave you and your feline behind. I did not know why until she told me that you fought to save her life," Sesshomaru began again, pacing a bit, his profile seeming nobler than ever before as Sango watched him. His eyes were idle, bored while his form seemed tense. "And for that, I owe you my gratitude, tajiya," He finished, nodding to her solemnly.  
  
The young woman's eyes widened, as she got to her feet weakly, finding out that her legs were terribly sore also. She choked back a wince as she limped towards the proud Inuyoukai. "I don't suppose I did a very good job to protect her. The youkai came out of nowhere. I did not detect his presence at all until he was upon me," Sango replied, her eyes looking towards an exceptionally tall tree for lack of anything else to look at.  
  
"The youkai had three jewel shards," Sesshomaru told her, pulling out three shining pink pieces of the sacred jewel of four souls and flicked them her way. Luckily, with her fast reflexes, Sango caught them in her good hand and stared at them for a long moment.  
  
"I don't understand though. I have battled youkai with more jewel shards than this," Sango elaborated, her voice sounding shamed as she closed her hand over the shards of the Shikon Jewel.  
  
"But you had aid. You had my pathetic younger brother, the girl with arrows and the houshi with the chasm of wind in his hand. You have never faced a youkai with multiple jewel shards by yourself before," The taiyoukai of the Western Lands told her, his baritone voice harboring no emotion. Sango let out a sigh and licked her dried, chapped lips for lack of anything else to do or say.  
  
"I do not know if that was a comment made to make me feel better but I will take it as one," Sango said up to the tall youkai with a soft smile, watching as his eyes flickered for a brief moment before he looked bored and aloof again. "Thank you for bringing me here though," She added, bowing to him respectfully even though he was still one of her greatest opponents.  
  
"I did not do it for you," He replied, looking to the graying sky briefly before a gust of wind brushed through the surrounding area, sending his white mane into different directions. Sango shielded her eyes a bit to keep her own tresses from crashing into her face at the moment but stole a glance at the youkai.  
  
When she had first seen him at the confrontation with Totosai she had found him handsome in a dangerous way, even though he was a youkai that took a human form. She had remembered her father's words then about how the most powerful and life-threatening youkai would disguise themselves in human form to hide their true identities. Sesshomaru was one who fit that category.  
  
The wind died down to a low gust that was lightly ruffling the taiyoukai's luxurious, shining white hair into small trailing wisps. She saw his pointed nose sniff the air briefly before his form relaxed a bit. "There is a storm coming," he mumbled, most likely to himself but Sango heard it.  
  
A low rumbling emitted from the sky as the wind blew the opposite direction now. Sango hobbled over to where Kirara was lying and scooped her up, hugging her to her form with her bruised arm while her hand tried to continue to hold the jewel shards. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her weapon still in the forest and went to retrieve it until there was a yellow flash that blinded her momentarily. _Lightning... _she thought. Where was she to take shelter now?  
  
She looked back to the place where the Sesshomaru had been standing and did not see him. She swallowed and looked around for any feasible means of shelter and saw none. _Wonderful... The arrogant dog has rescued me from a deadly youkai only to leave me to die in a thunderstorm,_ The young woman thought in disarray and annoyance until she was grabbed by the back of her demon slaying outfit, nearly loosing her grip on Kirara, and was slung onto the back of a hugely massive... Dog?  
  
Sango's eyebrows knit together in confusion as she set Kirara down on the large dog-like beast. She grabbed a handful of the silky white fur as she leaned forward, inspecting it. _Could this possibly be Sesshomaru's true form?_ She reached out tentatively and pulled on the fur of the dog's head with a small amount of force until she was staring into two large red orbs that did not seem very impressed with the liberty she had just taken.  
  
"Sesshomaru?" she wondered aloud, releasing the tight hold that she had had on the dog's fur, hearing a slightly grouchy rumble emit from the throat of the large beast. "So this is your true form... You are massive," she told him, stifling a giggle when she caught sight of him rolling his eyes.  
  
"Sesshomaru-sama! A storm!" Rin cried, rushing towards the taiyoukai in his true form, her eyes widening in shock, horror and confusion. Jaken waddled on behind her, shoving her forward with the staff of skulls.  
  
"Do you not know that that is Sesshomaru-sama in his true form? His body will offer us shelter, you fool of a girl!" The cranky toad snapped, following the massive dog until he came to a crease of boulders and let Sango dismount with Kirara. "Sesshomaru-sama, this wench is here too? Why?"  
  
"Rin is happy. That's why," The girl snapped at the old vassal, giggling when he snarled and threatened to pull her hair out. Sango yawned and felt a raindrop sprinkle on her cheek.  
  
"Sesshomaru-sama, won't you get wet?" The tajiya asked, gasping when she felt her back being nudged by something hard. She turned slowly to see the annoying toad glaring at her.  
  
"Do you not think that with his great massive size that Lord Sesshomaru cannot withstand a mere thunderstorm, human?" Jaken snapped, shaking his head, uttering something about the stupidity of human females.  
  
"Lady, Rin wants you to be by her," Rin exclaimed, grabbing for Sango's arm that was holding Kirara and the jewel shards and she winced when the jolting of her arm disturbed her other arm.  
  
"Gently, Rin, and my name is Sango," The tajiya told the girl, watching as she nodded in excitement with a toothy grin upon her face. Sango felt a small twinge of paranoia for a moment as she turned her head slightly, seeing crimson eyes boring into her for a split second, then they turned away.  
  
_This is strange..._ Sango thought to herself, observing her company. Sesshomaru, a dragon with two heads that was now coming over for shelter from the large transformed taiyoukai, an old warty toad and a small human girl. She shook her head and decided not to dwell on those thoughts when she yawned deeply, her eyes feeling heavy. _All of the excitement for one day has been trying on me, I guess,_ Sango thought, finding a comfortable spot to lie down on the ground on, settling down a bit, all sounds around her fading into the deep unconsciousness of sleep.

. . .  
  
When Sango awoke, she realized that she was now all by herself in the small area near the crease of rocks. She sat up slowly, minding her arm and looked around to see puddles all about and found Kirara curled up at her feet. When she shifted her legs, the kitten-sized demon stretched and yawned weakly, letting out a soft mewing sound. The tajiya reached down towards her neko demon and picked her up gently, delighting in the peaceful, soothing sounds of her purrs.  
  
"Are you feeling better, hm?" Sango whispered gently to the cat, stroking her soft fur before she put her back down onto the ground to sleep some more.  
  
The tajiya got to her feet leisurely, feeling the lactic acid fermentation in her sore muscles as she fought to move around smoothly but the limp in her leg just could not be ignored. She searched around, following the sounds of Rin's laughter and the toad Jaken's annoyed squawks, finding the girl bathing and Jaken trying to coax her out.  
  
Sango sighed and decided she would wander further down stream until the sight of a familiar taiyoukai caught her eyes. He looked down upon her with regular haughtiness but he seemed solemn as he nodded to her as if saying good afternoon... because it was...  
  
"I am in your debt now, Lord Sesshomaru," The tajiya said to him, bowing slightly. "Thank you for giving me shelter from the storm," she added. Sesshomaru looked in different but his golden eyes seemed a bit puzzled. _It's strange... I'd think that being in debt to a demon the likes of him would make me feel uneasy,_ Sango thought. _But it doesn't at all...  
_  
"I see," was the youkai's blunt response because he did not know what to say to her comment. Someone in debt to him? A human having enough honor to say so? "You will be leaving soon enough though," Sesshomaru stated, crossing his arms in his sleeves.  
  
"Yes. I don't believe I have the strength to travel as of now and my fire cat is still weak but as soon as I am well, I will be gone," Sango replied, feeling calm and relaxed as she shared light conversation with the taiyoukai who had been one of her greatest enemies. _It shouldn't be this way... I am a demon slayer. I slay creatures like him... Yet at the moment I don't feel the need...  
_  
"I do not give charity," Sesshomaru told her, his voice sounding a bit harder than it had only moments ago. "I repaid my gratitude, human. You will be on your own now," he finished, nodding to her before he strode away with long, graceful steps.  
  
Sango bit her lip but knew that he had been hospitable enough. It wasn't polite to simply stay longer than one was invited... _And I am amazed he even let me stay this long... Offering me shelter from the storm and all..._

_. . .  
_  
"Sango-sama? Where are you going?" Rin asked, rushing towards the tajiya who was packing her things, now wearing her over kimono again. The young woman looked up as she slung her recently retrieved weapon, which was now a bit damaged from the storm, over her shoulder.  
  
"I need to return to my village, Rin. I have overstayed my welcome," Sango replied, watching with guilt in her throat when Rin's face looked a bit crestfallen. "Don't worry, little one. We will see each other again," she added, hoping to ease the look of sadness that had clouded over the normally joyous child's face.  
  
"Do you promise?" The girl pressed, her little hands going to her non- existent hips. The young woman laughed softly at her small action and shook her head, the smile still present on her lips.  
  
"I suppose so Rin, if your Sesshomaru-sama would allow it," Sango replied, her eyes going to the demon lord who was now standing behind the little girl. His golden eyes stared into her dark orbs and for a moment, the young woman felt a bit... restless and hungry for something... She licked her lips and stood up slowly to mind the muscles in her legs. "Well, the trip is long and I must be going, Rin."  
  
"No! Rin doesn't want you to leave! Rin had so much fun with you!" The girl started to sob but stopped when Jaken yelled at her for doing such a thing.  
  
"You know how our lord gets when you cry like that, little imp!" The toad chastised.  
  
"It is not a crime to cry," Sango said to Jaken, her voice strong and meaningful. Rin wiped her eyes and nodded. Sesshomaru looked upon her in wonder as she turned to leave.  
  
"Farewell," The young woman called over her shoulder, carrying Kirara carefully as they traveled a slow, leisurely pace to mind their muscles and healing wounds. Her arm felt a little bit better but she would not be able to use it without pain for quite a while. _Let's hope there are no more demons lingering about this area,_ she thought, continuing to walk on through the forest.  
  
From the top of a large brush two angry, vengeful, malicious eyes watched the demon slayer as she walked along and a plan began to form in her mind.

. . .  
  
_Writer's Corner:_  
  
_Dun dun dun... I know what you're thinking! When are Sesshomaru and Sango going to bump into each other again and who's watching her from the tree...  
  
Well...  
  
THAT'S FOR ME TO KNOW AND YOU TO FIND OUT, SAVVY? Lol, sorry, I got carried away ;)  
  
Hopefully this story will get a lot more interesting as it goes on, sorry if it's a bit boring but I'm still mixing things around and figuring out how some things are going to work. Please review and tell me what you think!  
  
Ok, I guess the cat's out of the bag now. Cat... CAT? KIRARA! Lol, just kiddin'.  
  
This is a Sesshomaru/Sango fic and I'm trying very hard to make it different than some of the ones that I have read (there are very few so I'm going out on my own limb here to make everything make sense...)  
  
So, what did you think of the chapter. I know what I was thinking.  
  
God I wish I was Sango and could be standing near a hot demon like Sesshomaru and conversing casually (with some formalities of course because he is a taiyoukai) with him like no tomorrow! YEAH!  
  
Well, I must be off! Time to update some other stories! WAHOO!_


	4. Chapter Three

_Writer's Corner:_  
  
Yay! This story is going down good! I got a lot of supporting reviews of the pairing and how everything is going so far with the story. Don't worry. Sesshomaru seemed a tiny bit out of character in the previous chapter but it was because he was showing his gratitude. He is a very honorable demon so I thought that maybe he should have made it up to Sango ;) But now she owes him so... Yeah! It'll all work out. YAY!  
  
But I promise. I will keep Sesshomaru in character 100% from this point on (unless I have a reason not to... but I probably won't) so enjoy the show- er... Story!

. . .  
  
_**Chapter Three:**  
_  
_This damned scab is so itchy!_ Sango grated inwardly, resisting the urge to scratch the itch right out of her healing wound. The ministration would probably open the massive scab thus bringing out her thick, crimson blood again. The tajiya sighed and rested her head against the trunk of the tree she was currently sitting under.  
  
_I am only hours away from the village by this point_, Sango thought, reaching into one of her pouches to pull out half of a stick of 'pocky' that Kagome-chan had given her before she left. _Even though I've only been gone for a few days... it feels like forever. I miss you my friend.  
_  
It had also been a few days since her encounter with Sesshomaru and his companions. Little Rin had been such a sweet little girl... _But how does one so young and kind stay so young and kind under a demon of his nature?_ Sango questioned this in her mind, trying to come up with some reasonable explanations for this topic. Without finding any answer that best suited what she was thinking, she shook her head and called to Kirara who had been taking a drink from a nearby pond. "Come on Kirara. We're almost home," she told the feline, hopping abroad the large fire neko as they ran along on the ground. There was no reason to take to the air.

. . .  
  
Two dark eyes, luminous with an un-answered question searched around the campsite for a certain someone. The someone who always coursed the destination to where she, Jaken-sama and Ah Un traveled. His looming figure ranged into her sight when she charted to a new area of the forest, seeing him standing by himself. She had run off again even when Jaken-sama roared at her to return that instant.  
  
At the current moment, he was staring with glazed honey colored eyes at the many stars that started to cloak through the black sky, peaceful tranquility portrayed in every aspect about him.  
  
"Rin, what are you doing out here?" he asked, not bothering to look at her, his tone disinterested. The child's scent had mingled with the breeze accompanied by the tell tale rustle of one of the expensive, elaborate kimonos he had had specially produced for her.  
  
The girl blushed, embarrassed by her rude manner of the attempt at sneaking up on him, knowing full well that it would not work. The girl of nine revealed herself, stepping out, her eyes large as she walked towards him slowly.  
  
"Well?" The youkai questioned again, his voice a bit more persistent at this point but still maintained the cool and bored composure that was his trademark. The child's constant habit of wandering off in places that she had never been before would be the death of her. He was getting tired of having to rescue her whenever she would outwit Jaken and escape.  
  
"Do you remember the lady that saved Rin, Sesshomaru-sama?" The child asked, fisting her small hands into the lap of her kimono as she shifted her feet slightly anxiously. She looked up, his face illuminated by the moonlight and smiled softly, knowing that he did know. The demon remained stoic, but he nodded to acknowledge the girl's question, only if it was a small gesture of recognition.  
  
Rin released her kimono to clasp her hands behind her back as she looked up boldly, her mouth spread in a toothy grin as she asked, "Can Sesshomaru- sama take Rin to visit Sango-sama? Sango-sama was so nice to Rin," she continued, hoping to convince her lord of her point. "Sango-sama is the only lady friend Rin has and Rin gets lonely because Jaken-sama is boring- -"she stopped and gasped, covering her mouth, realizing that she had been a bit too bold. She gazed up to see her lord, still staring down at her, his eyes crinkled at the corners in slight amusement and curiosity at her antics while the rest of his visage seemed to contradict his amusement. "Forgive Rin, Sesshomaru-sama. Rin doesn't mean to complain..." the little girl apologized, bowing slightly to make her apology convincible.  
  
_Well, she is learning more respect,_ the taiyoukai thought bemusedly at her formal way of apologizing. The little girl had truly been such a chattering imp when he had first taken her in. Why he had taken her in? That was a question he was continually asking himself, finding no answer in the process.  
  
"Perhaps," the taiyoukai replied, his eyes looking up towards the moon again. Rin gasped in delight and clasped her hands together over her chest.  
  
"Really, Sesshomaru-sama?"  
  
Without giving a reply, the cold demon lord turned swiftly, his hair fluttering behind him, back towards the camp. "We will return to camp now," He told her, his voice emotionless as he turned his head slightly to gaze down at her. "You wandered from Jaken's watch again. Do you never cease to trouble him?" He added, narrowing his beautiful eyes, gauging the guilt that splayed upon her young and innocent face. She hung her head in brief shame.  
  
"Rin is sorry again, my lord," the little girl whispered, her voice truly and deeply sad. "Rin likes to try and find you," she told him sincerely; her head lifting slightly to show him how much she meant that statement.  
  
_Sentimentality... Putrid... Vile..._ Sesshomaru thought as he continued to look the girl over, his heart softening a bit at her words. They made him feel... wanted... important... loved even...  
  
The taiyoukai was appalled at his inner realization and scoffed at himself for thinking such things. _Foolishness!_ He roared in his mind, deciding to voice his opinion. "This Sesshomaru does not care for you to follow him everywhere. Youkai lurk about these parts at all times. They could be your death," he told her in a hard voice, proceeding to walk on, feeling his chest tighten at the little whimper that escaped the small girl behind him. He froze and winced for being so harsh with her... _Harsh?  
_  
_Was I truly being harsh? Or... am I going soft?_ The Inuyoukai asked himself, clearing his throat and his mind so that he could block out the sickeningly salty smell of fresh tears that were currently spilling from the little girl's eyes. He turned to see her sniffling; wiping her eyes constantly and part of him wanted to comfort her and to cease her tears while another was repulsed that she would display such an emotion.  
  
The taiyoukai was feeling completely at war with himself at the present moment and decided that he would end this whole occurrence neutrally. "Rin," he called back to her, his voice gentler than it had been moments ago. Rin looked up quickly, her eyes red and watery as she met his call with a bewildered look. "This Sesshomaru wishes that you return to camp with him," he told her, watching as she nodded and pulled the sleeve of her kimono over her hand to wipe her eyes and face thoroughly.  
  
The little girl half expected him to walk away from her and leave her to follow in his footsteps like he often did... But he was not moving from his spot. After a few moments of awkward silence, Sesshomaru sent her a skeptical look and gave her a motion with his eyes that he wished to move on.  
  
Feeling happier than she had since she had talked to Sango-sama, Rin let out a joyous giggle and ran towards her master, her lips parted revealing her toothy grin. She reached up for his hand, waiting for him to take hers. Sesshomaru glanced down at her hand and then to her contented face, realizing that happiness was an emotion best suited her. Slowly, he lowered his large hand within her reach, feeling her small hand grasp his in a tight hold as he kept his lax. After a short time though, he enclosed his long, tapered fingers around hers as they made their way back to camp.

. . .  
  
"Well, Kirara. Home sweet home," Sango said softly, with a pleased smile. There were definitely remembered events and feelings of nostalgia all about the tajiya as she dismounted from her large fire neko, gazing around the village. There were remains of huts and the structure of a hut that she and Miroku had constructed years ago to house new supplies from the journey and some of the village's oldest scrolls. The village looked picture perfect as the morning sun leaked through down onto the dew covered ground and few housetops.  
  
_We did a very good job with that hut, houshi-sama,_ Sango thought as she entered the small house and looked about herself, the smell of must and dirt lingering in the air. Sighing, the demon slayer dropped her hiraikotsu in the corner of the hut and put down the various packages that she had been carrying with her, scratching her bandaged arm. She had re- bandaged the scab because she feared that she could not trust herself to scratch the itching bother of a wound lightly.  
  
_Well, the village seems to be in good shape from when I was last here_, the tajiya commented inwardly as she walked slowly around her home area, stretching her legs a bit. She inhaled deeply and exhaled contentedly, her eyes going to the ground when she came across the graves of all the villagers... stopping in front of her father's, kneeling to the soil.  
  
_Otou-san... I am home,_ she told him, praying softly before she stood again and continued her venture. She sighed in dismay briefly when she thought of how lonely the village was compared to its life and bloom years and years ago before Naraku had wreaked havoc.  
  
_I remember, training here as a child,_ she thought, a smile tugging at her lips. _And Kohaku learning to use his weapon for the first time... What a sweet boy he was_, she finished, her mind flashing to a picture of her little brother who had always looked up to her and admired her.  
  
_"Onee-chan, will we ever be apart?" A younger Kohaku asked, his blue-gray eyes shining towards Sango. The young woman tilted her head to the side as she leaned on the gardening hoe that she was using on the plot of land in the back of their hut.  
  
"Why do you ask that, silly? Of course not. Not as long as we are with Otou-san and have our weapons with us. We will be unstoppable, Kohaku- chan," The tajiya in training replied with a smile, disregarding the brief look of despair that passed her brother's face before he shrugged and returned to his chores.  
_  
Shaking her head from her thoughts, the demon slayer felt a tell tale rumbling in her stomach and she groaned, realizing that the only thing she had eaten in the last few hours was the pocky. That wasn't the healthiest thing, she knew for a fact.  
  
_I suppose I shall have to hunt for my food, the tajiya groaned slightly. If only I had saved the rationings that Kaede had given me..._ Normally, she would have jumped at the idea of hunting for her dinner but her arm was in no condition for her to throw hiraikotsu properly. She couldn't ask Kirara either because the fire feline was all ready exhausted from the amount of traveling that she had had to do.  
  
_Oh well. I need to eat. I'll just be careful,_ she finally decided, stripping out of her pink and green outfit, revealing her slick, black uniform. She bent over and picked up the large boomerang, sliding its handle over her shoulders as she slid her daggers into the appropriate spots on her uniform. "Kirara, I'm going to get some early lunch. I should be back shortly," she told the neko who was now kitten sized.  
  
Sango sighed and walked into the forest again, keeping her eyes sharp for any creature that might provide with some tasty meet but after about a half an hour on pursuit, she had given up. _Where have all the animals and small youkai gone?_ She wondered as she approached the stream nearby to her village, her eyes gazing into the clear, liquidly depths. Fish!  
  
_Ah ha_, the tajiya thought smugly as she pulled her dagger out from her sheath and watched carefully as the little creatures in the water swam violently around, unaware of one of them becoming the young woman on the bank's lunch.  
  
Sango continued to watch the slippery animals swarm around the shallower waters as she plunged the small sword into the water, just grazing a fish. "Damn," she whispered, fixating her eyebrows together in better concentration. She pulled the sword from the water and watched again, stabbing her knife into the water , just cleanly missing another fish!  
  
_Damn it all! I'm a demon slayer not a fisherman!_ She grated inwardly, deciding that it would probably be for the best if Kirara threw some fish onto the bank for her so she could gut them.  
  
Kirara had come without a fuss but had made Sango look like a complete fool when she transformed and swiped one large paw into the stream, dragging four wriggling fish onto the bank. The tajiya thanked her feline and told her that she could go rest while she started to gut and clean out the fish.  
  
The young woman let out a sigh and then poked her dagger into a fish's inside, bodily fluids shooting up from the creature's body and onto her face. She sat there, her eyes wide with disbelief as blood and other nasty thick liquids from the fish's body were dripping off of her face. "Now that caught me completely off guard..." Sango whispered, taking the back of her hand to her face as she wiped the grime and nastiness from her face. _I need to bathe..._  
  
The young woman gathered her gutted fish up, the nasty smell clinging drifting into her nose, as she went to go and pour some spice on them to keep them fresh until she returned from the quick bath she was going to take.

. . .  
  
"Guess what, Jaken-sama! We get to see Sango-sama!" The little girl cried, as she bounced abroad Ah Un's back. The toad glared up at the little 'princess' as she continued to babble in general happiness and glee. Two bulbous yellow eyes stared hard at his lord's back as the tall, haughty Inuyoukai continued to lead the way.  
  
_What has this child done to Sesshomaru-sama? He treats her better than he treats me and I have been nothing but his faithful servant for years! _The toad youkai gaped in his mind, anger welling up in his chest as he shot a jealous look up again at the little girl who rode the two headed dragon's back.  
  
Up ahead, Sesshomaru continued to walk on, his mind working in two places at once. Half of him wanted to turn away and return to the Western Lands so that he could return to all of the work and duties that his position reserved for him. Just why were they going to find the tajiya? It was going to waste so much precious time that he could be using to forming alliances and such. _Because it will please Rin_, he answered his own question, cringing inwardly.  
  
Since when had he cared so much about making his charge happy? Why did she even matter? The Taiyoukai turned to look over his shoulder to see her smiling at him and then she thanked him again. Sesshomaru sighed mutely, picking up his stride so that he could think more clearly without the incessant chatter of Jaken's annoying voice.  
  
The other half of him was worried about Rin's constant wandering. Why did she like to meander off on her own anyway? She had said it was only because she wanted to find him and be with him but was that really the answer? The taiyoukai shook his head a bit, clearing his mind of those thoughts as a feminine scent drifted into his nose. His eyes shifted a moment and then he came to a complete stop.  
  
"My lord?" Jaken asked, tugging on the reigns, the signal for Ah Un to stop traveling.  
  
_I did not think that we were this close, _Sesshomaru thought, turning so that he could look towards his journeying companions. "I shall return. I would like to scope out this territory for it is unfamiliar," the taiyoukai said before he bounded into the treetops, leaping agilely from branch to branch.

. . .  
  
Sango slid out of her clothes and dipped a foot hesitantly into the water of the stream, hissing at its frigid temperature. Oh well, it can't be helped. I need to get clean, the tajiya thought as she dove into the freezing water, sputtering and gasping until her body became somewhat accustomed to the cold languidness of the stream.  
  
_What I wouldn't do for a hot spring_, Sango mused, reaching over to lather a bar of 'soap' that Kagome-chan had given to her a while ago. She sighed and applied the foaming substance to her face, scrubbing that the best she could without getting any in her eyes. She had had an experience like that before and did not want to repeat it!  
  
While she cleansed the other areas of her body, feeling self-conscious, every once and a while, she would turn and scan the area behind her, making sure that Miroku wasn't hiding anywhere, getting a full eyes view of her body like he had done many times. The tajiya's cheeks flushed in embarrassment and delight all at once. _To think that he actually would risk a beating just to see me bathe,_ she thought, her blush deepening the more that she continued to think about it.

. . .  
  
Sesshomaru froze atop the tree that he was stationed in when he heard the splash of water from down below. He had smelled the stream but other than that, his senses had been dulled due to the water. _There is someone bathing?_ He asked, hearing a silent, feminine chuckle he could associate with the tajiya who had tried to keep Rin safe.  
  
Leaping to the ground silently, the Inuyoukai slithered through the trees to get a better look, his curiosity getting the better of him for the moment. His golden eyes taking in what they saw.  
  
The song that Sango had been humming clipped off when she stiffened, a youkai aura coming within her range. A very powerful one at that. She swallowed and looked about her swiftly, getting out of the water a bit so that if she needed to, she could race back to the village and grab her hiraikotsu.  
  
_Kami-sama! I'm such a fool. I should never be without a weapon! _She chastised herself as she brought her arms up to cover her naked chest, her cheeks flushing in horror and embarrassment. _Where is the beast? I don't... I don't see it..._ She swallowed hard again and continued to look around when she met two golden eyes that were staring with intensity that she could recognize anywhere. **_Sesshomaru?_**  
  
The young woman's eyes widened to the size of watermelons, feeling exposed, weak and dirty under the proud youkai's gaze._ What do I do? I am without a weapon and--_ Sango's eyes narrowed again. _And he was peeping at me!_ She thought suddenly, rage building in her chest.

. . .  
  
The Inuyoukai stepped out from the bushes, not being one to hide as he stared at her brazenly, approaching her so that he was just a couple of feet from her toned, slender body. _There is nothing she can do,_ Sesshomaru thought, watching her as she stood, her face beat red. _She cannot go on the offensive because she has no weapon and she is a fool to attack or irritate me without one_.  
  
He had been leering at her from the bushes... Suddenly, Sango did not care that the male who was peeping at her from the bushes was Sesshomaru and could most likely kill her in her naked, vulnerable state. What did matter was that he was a man, even if he was not a human one. He had been invading her privacy... and... The tajiya could not control her anger anymore. Feeling a sudden rush of adrenaline, she marched right up to him, looked him square in the eye and slapped him across the cheek.  
  
Sesshomaru stumbled back a step, his golden eyes neutral as a hand rose to touch his slightly stinging cheek. Then, his orbs narrowed into dangerous slits. He had not been ready for that. She wasn't that stupid, was she? He had seen this woman fight. She was trained in the art of slaying demons... Apparently she had thrown all of her wits and common sense out the window!  
  
The youkai extended his arm, grasping hers as he pulled her into his hard chest fiercely, his other hand pulling harshly at her mass of ebony hair. Sango hissed and closed her eyes as Sesshomaru continued to yank at her hair, his claws digging into her arm, luckily it wasn't the one that had all ready been wounded before.  
  
"You dare to attack this Sesshomaru with no weapon, tajiya?" He growled dangerously in her ear, eliciting a shudder from Sango, but it was not from the cold or his voice. "Where have all of your years of training and experience gone? Here you are, dripping wet and naked, without your weapon and then you attack a demon that despises your kind. You are _brilliant,_ woman," he sneered angrily, his grip not slacking in the least.  
  
_Kami-sama... He's going to kill me,_ Sango thought, opening her eyes to meet two deep, cold golden eyes that were boring into her. The tajiya worried her lip between her teeth as his fingers started to loosen in her hair. Suddenly, Sesshomaru began to touch her back- or more specifically, her large scar. Sango's eyes became impossibly wide again as she started to struggle within his hold.  
  
"Don't _touch _me!" she shouted at him, watching as his lips turned up in the corner in a cruel, conniving smirk. He was enjoying gauging reactions from her! This was fun for him! _I have to get away... How do I get out of this?  
_  
Her thoughts flashed back to before, when she had slapped him. He was male thus meaning he had one weakness so to speak. If this did not hurt him though then he would be very angered and she definitely WOULD die! Drawing her knee back a bit, she continued to struggle against Sesshomaru, his grip growing tighter, drawing more breath out of her.  
  
_All right! _She thought, closing her eyes and then rammed her knee into his groin, breaking away from him when his arms when weak for a moment. Sango watched him in confusion as he stood there, his face neutral but his eye twitched for a split second.  
  
Sesshomaru cleared his throat, the immense pain in his groin becoming unbearable as he felt short of breath. "No one has ever dared to-"he started to say before his eyes rolled in the back of his head and he fell face first onto the ground, his glorious white hair spilling unceremoniously all around him.  
  
Sango's eyes widened as she knelt down, hauling him over so that she could look at him. _Did I... Did I kill him?_ She wondered, feeling a bit of anxiety in her chest as she raised two fingers to feel the pulse at his neck. It was there, and it was strong but he was out cold...

. . .  
  
So! What do you think? YAY! Can you believe it? She actually kicked him in the balls! Go Sango! He deserved it! I mean, poor Sesshomaru! He got de-manned... I'm on both sides, as you could tell!


	5. Chapter Four

_Writer's Corner:_

Woop! It's been a long time since the last update. Looks around and hopes no one is waiting for her with torches But I've been pretty busy. I had to update my story 'Dark Castle' that was nominated because I had a splurge of inspiration and I've been uploading my story 'The Princess Bride' and it has 100 reviews and more coming! YAY!

Well, I hope this story gets passed 100. Actually, that is a prayer. I PRAY THAT THIS STORY GETS OVER 100 REVIEWS! I'm all ready almost half way there and as long as all of you faithful readers review, you will make my prayer come true! HUZZAH!

**Now, for some 'lovely' recap.**

_Rin gets Sesshy to travel towards Sango's village out of guilt trip basically._

_Sesshy goes off ahead to inspect something and sees Sango NAKIE and BATHING!_

Sango hears something and then sees Sesshy staring at her when she gets out of the water and then slaps him.

_Sesshy gets angry and then starts to uh... harass her? And she kicks him in the balls!_

_He is appalled but then passes out in a dainty heap! And Sango thinks she killed him so ON TO THE CHAPTER!_

...

_**Chapter Four:**_

Sango stood up quickly, her eyes large as she thought of the real and _true_ consequences of her dangerous liberty and action. She started to pace back a bit as she pulled her clothes on, her eyes never leaving the unconscious demon lord. _What was he saying before he collapsed?_ She thought, thinking back to the unnatural pale hue that his face had taken after she had planted her foot with all of the force that she could into his crotch.

_He was saying something about how no one had ever dared to do something..._ Sango's eyes widened. _AM I THE FIRST TO MAKE A SUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT AT SUCH A MANEUVER? IS THAT WHAT HE MEANT?_ She thought in horror, spinning on her heel to high tail it back to her village and grab her weapons and poisons that she used in battle. There was going to be, without a doubt, a vicious battle and a desperate feat to fight for her life when Sesshomaru returned to the present world.

_I just hope that I am able to fight against an angry youkai with the power that he possesses. What was I even thinking?_ Sango berated herself inwardly, chewing on her low lip as she quickly slipped into her black tajiya outfit and went to look for her partially mended hiraikotsu.

. . .

Pain, hot and searing, but not as searing as it had been from the initial blow, hoarded Sesshomaru's lower region and down into his legs as his eyes flitted open. He felt like vomiting. He sat up slowly, wincing a bit as he raised a hand to his head to steady himself and concentrate. He took in a deep breath and rolled onto his ankles, hissing through his teeth when he realized it would be far too agonizing to roll up in one fluid motion to a standing position.

_Damn it_, he cursed in his mind as he clenched his teeth together. Deciding that he was above the pain, he rolled up so that he was upright and standing, although his body protested royally. He muttered an invective as a feminine scent caught his nose reminding him of why his groin was aching him so.

_That woman... she attacked me in my-_ he looked down to where his injury had been briefly and his golden eyes narrowed. Rage began to boil in his blood as his eyes bled crimson. No one would ever be able to make a successful attempt at his privates and live to tell the tale. He was going to feel his claws slip through tajiya flesh in a matter of moments. He growled as he continued to think about her overall audacity, his thoughts angering him even more, almost to the point where he nearly transformed into his beastly dog form, but he felt Tenseiga vibrating at his thigh and it kept his sanity in check.

His mind made up, even though he was furious with his demon blood was coursing all around him and making a buzzing sound that gave him a rush, Sesshomaru zipped towards the village, appearing only as a stream of light to bystanders.

. . .

_Oh no! Where are you?_ Sango thought in slight panic, knowing that the taiyoukai was going to be coming to his senses at any moment, as she searched around for her container of poison. Realizing that it was too late at this point, the tajiya reached for her katana when something solid crashed through the wall behind her in the hut, small splinters and chunks of wood flying everywhere. She shielded her eyes but got a glimpse at the one who had smashed through the side of the hut.

"S-Sesshomaru!" She gasped, feeling like such an incompetent fool because he had been too fast for her senses to pick up. She hadn't even sensed his approaching aura! She grabbed for her katana quickly, holding it in front of her with a white knuckled grip as she narrowed her eyes and curled her upper lip, revealing her white teeth.

"Who were you expecting, human?" He snarled, as he came at her faster than she could comprehend. When she finally percepted what was happening, she saw her katana on the ground and found her neck was being held rather snugly in the demon lord's large, strong hand. She was forced to stare into his face, seeing that he was no longer looking composed or stoic, but savage and furious.

His blood red eyes were flaming in hatred and righteous anger as they glowered down at her and the normally dignified redish, magenta colored stripes on his cheeks sliced his pale and ethereal face. Besides the encounter with Naraku, Sango felt afraid. Hell, she admitted it to herself. She _was_ afraid and it didn't look like there was any way of escaping.

She muttered an invective under her breath in frustration as the taiyoukai's clenching hold tightened and her oxygen started to come out short. Gasping for air now, she started to claw at his hand with her own, hoping to Kami-sama that maybe he would be merciful and let her go... even though he was now smiling cruelly down at her struggles. He was enjoying this more than he had been enjoying her struggling when she had been naked! There was something wrong with him, obviously.

_Mercy? Sesshomaru? Hm_, Sango mused to herself, finding the paradox in her words. Soon she started to see colors in front of her eyes and she let out a cry as his grip became impossibly tighter. The bones in her collar and spine were starting to snap ever so slowly and that made the pain all the more agonizing. She let out a cry of alarm and pain as she started to become desperate. She didn't want to die! Not in the clutches of this murderous, arrogant enigma of a demon! Where was Kirara? Surely her fire neko youkai who was truly loyal to her would come and try to aid her!

"Do not fight it, wench. Attacking this Sesshomaru in my..." He stated, his voice thick and harsh as he mulled over an appropriate word for, 'crotch', "sacred area," he decided, "secured your death by my hands and all of the struggling you are currently doing is bringing about your own demise much sooner than I would like," he finished, his eyes fading to their regular cold and unreadable honey depths.

"So you find this... entertaining," she gasped, her eyes hard and narrowed completely as her struggling continued, her breath starting to come out in wheezes.

Sesshomaru did not speak but he did continue to stare at her while she squirmed around. _What is this foolish woman doing? Is her will to live that strong?_ He thought in confusion but did not show a scrap of it. He was drawn from his thoughts when a stab of pain surged through his bicep on his right arm and the thick, hot liquid that was his blood stain his elegant white robe. The bitch! She had gouged him with a dagger after dropping her arms from the one that was still holding her with a secure grip around the neck.

She was a mystery! An enigma even, he admitted to himself. He found himself rather intrigued with the way she was handling herself at the present moment, still wrenching and struggling within his grasp but she still fought for her life. She was refusing to die. This puzzled the proud, wise taiyoukai as he thought through all of the foolish, rash things that she had done in his presence.

She had slapped him in the face. She had kicked him in his manhood. She had tried to flee. She was trying to escape from his grip. She had stabbed him in the arm in an act of temperance.

All though the taiyoukai found himself irritated by all of the things she had done, he also found himself... curious? He scoffed internally. Surely the Demon Lord of the Western Lands should _not_ have been amused and interested in a simple human woman who slaughtered demons for a living... If he were to let his guard down, she would kill him in his sleep, no matter how little of an amount it was.

_Hm_, he grunted internally, seeing that she was refusing to back down from her strong willed feat. She simply just wasn't going to allow herself to die by his hands. Feeling bored and less angry than he had been before, he dropped the tajiya onto the ground and looked down at her emotionlessly. She was staring up at him weakly, her neck stiff as she tried to gather herself up and scurry away, but the damage than he had done was ailing her.

_I am going to have some awful bruises in the next couple of days_, Sango thought, wincing when she tried to put her neck to rights and crack it. Her dark eyes traveled up to look Sesshomaru over to try and gauge a reaction but she could not read anything in his stoic face and hard golden eyes. He did however start moving his false left arm ever so slowly and the tajiya thought that he aimed to attack her again but he merely plucked the dagger that she had lodged into the massive and hard muscle out, chucking it at the ground towards her feet. Then, he gracefully went to stride out of the entrance to the hut that he had made in his fury.

"What?" Sango muttered in awe, wondering just what was going on. "I don't understand! I thought you were set on killing me!" she said to him, her voice extremely bewildered, along with the rest of her.

The beautiful and powerful demon turned, his regal profile showing in noonday sun. "Humans are always wanting answers to what they cannot understand," he said to her in a condescending tone. "As you once said, the answer is my own privacy and you were right. I dislike it when others demand answers," he finished in scorn as he whirled around, his hair falling down his back and legs like a mystical curtain.

Sango was truly startled and confused but she swallowed it down and tried to get up, all though she was having trouble. Suddenly, the laughter of a child came out of nowhere and it was truly recognizable laughter. _Rin?_ Sango thought as she leaned against the side of the hut for support.

. . .

Further away, Sesshomaru heard the same laughter and his eyebrows lifted slightly in puzzlement. What was she doing here and why were Jaken and Aun not with her? He felt irritation rise a bit as he strode over to where Rin's scent and gleeful sounds were, the scent of the tajiya's fire cat blending.

The girl who was his charge was riding on the back of the feline and noticed her master's presence immediately. "Sesshomaru-sama!" she exclaimed, hopping down from Kirara's back and hurled herself towards her master, hugging his leg securely. The taiyoukai fell back a step, not really expecting such a foreword and affectionate gesture from the small girl and did not know what to do. Deciding that it would be best to probably wait until she was finished with her silly display, he stayed still and gently laid his large hand on top of her head, feeling slightly relieved when she gave him a toothy grin and withdrew from the tight embrace she had had on his leg.

"Rin? What are you doing here?" He asked her, feeling slightly concerned, if not a bit disappointed in her. She had wondered off again, he supposed and luckily this time the fire cat had found her and kept her safe. "You did not wander out of Jaken's charge, did you?" he asked her, his baritone voice harder now as he pressed on to get the real answer from the small girl.

Rin shifted uncomfortably under her lord's slightly perturbed gaze and sighed in defeat, hanging her little head. "Rin... Rin did wander, Sesshomaru-sama," she said softly, looking up to see him staring at her all knowingly. His face, according to her read, 'I knew it'. "But Kirara came to give Rin a ride! Rin is safe!" she exclaimed, hoping that the explanation she gave would cover the boo-boo she had made. She went to the fire cat's side and stroked her soft fur.

"Rin-"He started to say, getting ready to reprimand the girl in his own fashion, telling her what she did wrong and why it was wrong, but before he could say anymore, the girl had dashed off, another bright smile lighting her face. He turned all though he knew to whom Rin was rushing off towards and he let out an annoyed growl briefly.

"Sango-sama!" The little girl shouted, throwing herself at the tajiya who held her very gently, minding her neck. "Rin missed you so much!"

Sango laughed softly, the warm sound reaching Sesshomaru's ears. "But little one, we were only separated for a matter of days. What will happen to you if I don't see you for a long extended period of time?" she asked her, her voice mild like the smile that was on her face as she stroked little Rin's glossy dark hair.

"That would make Rin very sad," Rin mumbled in reply, sighing as she reached up, a key signal that she wanted to be held. Sango gently bent over to pick the child up lifting the girl was too much strain on her sore neck and spine and she nearly collapsed. She set Rin back on the ground, meeting her confused and slightly worried dark eyes. "Sango-sama? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Rin-chan," the young woman apologized, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the taiyoukai who was watching her and the child from the distance. "I had some... complications earlier."

"Was it a big youkai?" Rin asked, oblivious. "Jaken-sama says that you hunt youkais, even the big ones."

"Yes, Rin-chan. It was a big youkai," she answered the girl honestly because Sesshomaru was a tall and powerful demon. She had to smile at the girl's improper grammar though. _Youkais... Very cute_, she mused.

"Oh! If you had trouble, Sango-sama, you should have asked Sesshomaru-sama for help," Rin told her, turning around to stare adoringly at her master.

"Hm... Yes," Sango replied in disinterest. _Too bad the only problem with that idea, Rin, is that the big youkai was your Sesshomaru-sama_, the tajiya thought, shaking her head briefly. She sighed and cracked her neck again, the popping sounds causing Rin to turn around and stare at her in wonder.

"Whatcha doin'?" The child asked, staring at Sango in adoration now, her hands clasped behind her back as she waited for a response.

"Attempting to put my neck back into place," The tajiya answered the inquisitive little person, smiling kindly at her. "But now that it's back where it should be, you came all this way just to see me, didn't you?" she asked her, her voice becoming a little bit more cheerful than it had been. Rin nodded eagerly and she started to giggle. "So, what would you like to do, Rin-chan?"

The little girl's eyes widened with glee at that question. Finally she had a playmate that was more fun than Jaken and less rough than Aun. "Mmm..." she thought aloud, rubbing her little hand under her little chin in deep thought (A/N: Awww! Cute-ah!). Suddenly, it seemed that an idea had hit her. Sango looked at her, awaiting her reply with the same kind smile upon her lips.

Sesshomaru watched from the distance, feeling completely ostracized. It was as if Rin had completely forgotten about him- It wasn't that he really cared but... Who was he kidding? He missed the constant and attention and doting the small girl gave him, even though he chose to shun and ignore her most of the time. _She looks happy though, the happiest I have seen her in a long time..._ The Taiyoukai thought to himself, turning to go and find his other compatriots that Rin had wandered off from unceremoniously.

. . .

"Sango-sama! Rin is so happy!" The little girl exclaimed as the tajiya led the little girl along the bank of the stream that she had been bathing in earlier. "Rin likes to play in water," she added, grinning up at the young woman who was leading her along.

"Well, Rin-chan, I'm taking you to the shallows so you won't drown," Sango told her, her voice gentle and slightly maternal. Rin's grip on her hand only tightened as she let out another gleeful giggle and hopped once to show her excitement and enthusiasm.

"It's a good thing that we're going to the shallows Sango-sama. Sesshomaru-sama doesn't like it when Rin goes out to deep water. Rin thinks he gets worried sometimes," the little girl added in a shy whisper as they continued to walk along until Sango pointed to the area of water in which they were going to play in. Kirara came up behind the two girls and surprised them by nudging them both in the back. "Kirara! Come swimming with Sango-sama and Rin!"

At those words, the fire feline retracted and walked off with her tail between her legs. The little girl seemed a bit confused, wondering why the big kitty had stomped off in such a manner.

"Rin-chan, Kirara doesn't like water very much. She's a neko," the tajiya filled in for her, seeing the small girl's confusion. Rin nodded solemnly but then her happiness returned when Sango started to roll up the bottom of her fancy kimono. The young woman stopped for a moment and thought about the nice kimono going in the water. It probably wouldn't be the best for the fabric... "Here, Rin-chan. Why don't we take you back to my hut and find you something that would be good attire for swimming," Sango suggested, leading the little girl away from the stream so that they could find her something more suitable.

. . .

The two large heads of Aun lifted as a figure in the forest started to come into view. One nudged the toad that was asleep on the ground awake, withdrawing when a small green fist flew wildly towards them. Jaken gathered himself up and glared up towards the large dragon but then froze and stiffened when he caught his lord's approaching scent. He leapt to his feet and let out a squawk of joy at his master's return but shrunk under his intense golden eyes.

"My lord! Erm... Rin is off with that fire cat that belonged to the tajiya," Jaken informed his master, starting to fumble with the staff of skulls nervously when Sesshomaru simply walked by him without acknowledging his presence. Feeling the need to come to his own defense, he chased after the mysterious Taiyoukai and started to splutter his ramblings. "Do not punish this humble servant Jaken, Sesshomaru-sama! I told that human brat not to go off with the feline until you returned but she scampered off on her own in the manner that you are very aware of and-"

The demon lord turned his head swiftly and pined down at Jaken, his eyes scorching him with invisible lasers of irritation. "Jaken," he said smoothly, his mouth in a hard line.

"Yes, m-my lord?" the toad youkai asked meekly, knowing what was coming next. He was preparing for a beating or being scolded or called a fool or being berated... He winced and closed his eyes, ready for a blow of any kind.

"Silence. This Sesshomaru doesn't wish to hear your feeble excuses anymore," Sesshomaru told him, his voice harboring no argument. Jaken let out an inaudible sigh as his master muttered to Aun to move along behind him.

"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama," he relented as he dragged his feet alongside the dragon Aun as the proud Taiyoukai strode imperviously back towards the tajiya village.

. . .

"There," Sango said matter-of-factly. "It might be a bit big on you but it will do for playing in the stream," she finished, rolling up the sleeves so Rin could see her hands again.

"Thank you, Sango-sama," Rin said and bowed a bit, grinning toothily up at the tajiya. Sango let out a small laugh and then a sigh as she took the small girl's hand again and they went to go and entertain themselves in the stream.

When they approached the bank, Rin made a dash towards the water and leapt right into the center of the shallows, a large splash spraying in all directions, hitting Sango in the face. She coughed and giggled along with the little girl, wiping the excess water from her face as she rushed in to join her.

Soon, an all out splashing war began and it was in Rin's favor because Sango decided that she would go easy on her, being a child and all, but she soon realized what a mistake it was. Rin was ruthless! _She probably picked that trait up from Sesshomaru_, Sango thought wryly but then was pulled under water by her ponytail. She felt slight pain in her neck and upper shoulders but ignored it as she was continually being dunked under. She gasped as she brought herself up again, yanking her hair from the girl's grasp.

"You want to play that way, Rin-chan? Well _two_ can do that!" She shouted in triumph, cupping her hands as she parted the water into the direction of Rin, who was anxiously trying to scramble onto the bank to escape the coming tsunami that the tajiya was making.

Rin squealed in delight as the water splashed her and flew over her head... hitting a very tall, strong and stunned youkai behind her. She looked up at grinned. "Sesshomaru-sama! You're all wet!"

Sango stopped immediately, feeling the tell tale blush crawling back into her cheeks at her childish actions. She had only meant to soak Rin! Where had _he_ come from? What would she do now? Was she supposed to apologize... Even though this was pretty amusing at the moment... _Oh no..._ Sango told herself, groaning internally, feeling more foolish than ever. _He's going to want to slaughter me again even though he spared me..._

Sesshomaru stared at her, wondering what the hell she was doing, his normally bouncy bangs now flattened against his forehead. He lifted his hand gracefully and wiped all the water from his face and shook his hand afterwards. His brows lifted slightly as if saying, 'Wow... How childish' and he turned away to go sit further away.

"Sesshomaru-sama! Come play with Rin and Sango-sama in the water!" Rin called to the retreating form of the powerful demon and Sango swallowed hard, trying to control the immense stupidity she was feeling.

"Rin, this Sesshomaru came to watch and to inform you that we will make camp nearby since you are so... infatuated with the tajiya," The Taiyoukai told the little girl, his eyes now narrowed slightly in irritation when he realized that water was trickling down his neck. _I cannot believe she got me wet_, he thought bemusedly, feeling annoyance twinge at him. Kami-sama! What was wrong with this human woman? "Also, Rin. This Sesshomaru also was watching and was splashed so I will not be sitting anywhere near the foolish tajiya who acts like a child herself," he finished, his voice wise and stating exactly how he felt. With that said, he continued on to find a more suitable place to sit and brood.

Rin turned to face Sango who had grown strangely quiet. "Rin thinks you got him mad..." she told her softly, her eyes going to watch Sesshomaru-sama as he leapt into a far away tree to sit and think in the branches. "Sesshomaru-sama doesn't like getting wet very often, except when he's taking a bath," the little girl added. "Believe Rin. Rin knows," she stated, nodding as if she were truly sure of herself.

"I... erm... see," Sango replied, feeling absolutely immature.

"But that's ok because Sango-sama and Rin can still play because Sesshomaru-sama said that he made camp nearby!" Rin exclaimed, hurling herself around the tajiya's waist in happiness. "Can Rin sleep in your house, Sango-sama?" the little girl asked quietly, looking up at her in wonder.

"I suppose so, Rin-chan, if it's all right with your Sesshomaru-sama," Sango replied, helping Rin to get out of the water as they headed back to the hut that the tajiya was now dwelling in.

. . .

The fire that Sango had built hours still shone in warmth and light against the darkness of the sky. The tajiya sighed and stretched as she came out of her hut after she had tucked Rin in for the night, her eyes focusing on a figure in the distance that was glowing even in the pitch-blackness of the night.

Sango sighed, her eyes taking in every nuance of the demon lord in the distance. His white hair glimmered and floated in a non-existent wind... Kami-sama... Even though her profession was slaughtering demons and using their bones to make weapons, she was very amazed by their youkai energies and powers. Suddenly, he turned and his golden eyes met her dark ones. Feeling slightly sheepish, Sango lifted her hand and gave a slight wave to him, realizing that she needed to talk to him about some things. He seemed to be Rin's caretaker after all...

_I care for Rin very much_, she thought to herself as she slowly walked to where Sesshomaru was standing, his gaze now distracted by some stray stars that were scattered throughout the black night sky. _I need to tell him that... and tell him that as long as Rin and I are friends, we should make ourselves allies... It would be the most sensible thing to do. I don't think I would be able to handle it if every time I saw him he tried to kill me before I saw Rin..._ Sango thought, shuddering.

"It's a lovely evening tonight," The tajiya stated warmly, as she sent a shy smile up to the Taiyoukai who had regarded her presence. He nodded to her, not saying anything. His face was showing no emotion so Sango decided that now would be as good a time as any to speak with him. "Sesshomaru-sama, I think you and I need to discuss some things concerning Rin."

At the mention of his charge, the proud demon found a bit of interest and made a comment. "What things?" he replied, his voice sounding bored.

"Well, since we both care for Rin-"she stopped wondering if her words had offended him in any manner. _I hope he doesn't get angry about me noticing how differently he acts around her_... she thought, gauging his reaction. He made no movement but he nodded for her to continue, his expression solemn and unreadable. _Damn him! I wish I could know what he is thinking!_ Sango though in exasperation as she continued.

"I believe we should both go into alliance," she finished, watching as a slightly cruel smirk appeared on his lips. He let out a low, mocking chuckle.

"An alliance?" He repeated, his voice slightly amused. Sango nodded, wondering what was so funny.

"Do you really believe that this Sesshomaru would go into an alliance with a human, nonetheless a _tajiya_?" He told her, his voice slightly hard and sarcastic.

"If you believe that I would kill you, you are sadly mistaken," Sango snapped at him, silencing him for a moment. She saw his deep golden eyes searching her for answers and signs of deceit. "I would not be able to take your life because I know how Rin would feel if I did," she finished.

Sesshomaru stood silently for a moment before he let out a scoff. "What are you saying, human? Your talk is idle," He replied, his hands going into his sleeves as his eyes narrowed, his baritone voice hardening in impatience.

"I care for Rin and she cares for me. She also adores you, Sesshomaru-sama," She added, hoping that would earn her some points but she did not care either way. "I just think that we should stop making attempts to take each other's lives because it is just a waste of time. An alliance would profit us both because you will have someone other than that old toad to keep her happy and then I will have someone who I know can protect Rin and myself if the need ever arises," Sango finished, watching him as she crossed her own arms stubbornly across her chest, waiting for him to say something.

Sesshomaru pondered this matter over, becoming distant for a moment, thinking of how much his charge would benefit from the alliance that the tajiya was so set on creating. "I believe it _could_ be beneficial," the Taiyoukai began, catching Sango's distracted attention, "if you would not act so foolishly and annoy this Sesshomaru as much as you do. I tire of your antics and Rin does not need more influence in that department," he finished, turning away from her to stare at the sky again.

Sango smiled softly, reaching up to massage as her arm a bit. "If you are still upset about me attacking your private parts, I really am sorry. It was in an act of self-defense," the tajiya laughed quietly in amusement when she heard him scoff and saw him glare at her. "Oh, and I also apologize for splashing you. I forget sometimes that you are a dog demon and do not like to be splashed suddenly by water," she added, grinning at him.

Sesshomaru shook his head and let out a low growl as he strode away but stopped when she called his name, not bothering to turn around.

"Sesshomaru-sama, if you do agree to this alliance there is something that I would like you to do for me," Sango called to him, jogging to his side. He looked down at her in derision.

"And what is that?" he asked, his voice stoic as he waited for her idiotic request to come.

"I would like you to acknowledge my by 'Sango', not 'Tajiya' anymore," Sango told him, hoping that he would cooperate even though ¾ of her sane mind told her that he most likely would not.

"This Sesshomaru does not take orders from anyone," he told her over his shoulder as he started to walk away to the camp Jaken had made nearby. Sango's shoulders slumped as she shook her head, berating herself for even hoping that he would comply. "I do what I wish, Sango," he finished and left her sight, leaving her standing stunned under the black sky of night.

. . .

Writer's Corner:

Dun dun dun...

He called her by her name! Aren't you proud? GASP! Ah well! Time for more plot to come in later with the jewel shards. I'm kind of tangenting right now, could you tell? But don't worry! Some more GREAT stuff is going to happen soon!


	6. Chapter Five

_Writer's Corner:_

Well, I bet you're all wondering what's happened to Sango's feelings for Miroku... Well, THEY HAVEN'T GONE ANYWHERE! WAHOO! Lol...

Plus, This is going to be a VERY long story and it might be a little bit slow moving but you have to pay attention to details because I might just throw an unexpected curve atcha! BWA HA HA HA HA!

Oh lordy! I'm sounding like dah devil today... I'm sorry! Well, onto the chapter!

Ah yes, just for a warning there is some limey-ness in here so if it offends you BEWARE OF THE EVIL FRUITINESS!

_**Chapter Five:**_

_"Okaa-san!" Sango looked down the dirt path in front of her hut to see a little boy with stunning, all too familiar violet eyes running towards her. She let out a pleased laugh, matching the high-pitched childish one her son let out as she scooped him into her arms and settled him on her hip, kissing him noisily on his cheek. "Ewwww, Kaa-san! That sound is gross!"_

_"No," she told him with a practical and patient smile. "It's special. The louder I kiss you, you become more special to me because..." she trailed off, looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to finish her sentence. The little boy, blushed and sighed, wrapping his arms around Sango's neck._

_"I'm your only little son," he replied, groaning loudly when the tajiya smacked him another good and wet one of his forehead. "No! No!" he squealed, struggling in her arms to get away from her. Sango let out a warm chuckle and let him romp onto the ground and into the hut._

_"Kaa! Kaa!" Another little voice sounded from a smaller distance. The mother of the child looked around to see her little daughter sitting on the ground playing with small cloth made doll that had been filled up with rice grains and then sewed together. The girl dropped her doll, her dark eyes pining her mother as her fine looking hair glimmered in the sunlight. She then held out her arms, wanting to be picked up._

_Sango smiled down at her little daughter who was only one and picked her up, snuggling her against her chest, kissing the soft fluff that was her hair. She sighed and grinned at the contented laugh her little girl let out._

_"Sango," a rich voice, that made her heart flutter, reached her ears next and she turned to see the man she loved staring at her, the sun behind him, only revealing his outline. She licked her lips and set down her daughter at the entrance of the hut before she ran towards him and threw her arms around his neck, feeling the warmth that was **him** in her arms. He stumbled back a step because he had not been fully prepared for the sudden jolt but let out an awkward chuckle and locked his arms around her soft, slender form._

_"Miroku," she whispered, breathing in the scent of his skin, the smell of light soap emerging from it. She drew her head back from where it was on his chest and looked into his lovely violet eyes, taking in every nuance of him before she boldly kissed him, whimpering softly in disbelief against his lips._

_"Oi Sango," he whispered huskily, squeezing her lightly on her bottom as he drew back, his visage full of amusement. The mischievous smirk that had been present earlier still lingered on his lips as he brushed his thumb across her lower lip gently. "If I would have known that you were going to throw a celebration for me when I returned from the bath, I would have left on a journey a while ago to return for a wonderful time tonight..." He laughed naughtily as his warm breath tickled her ear._

_"Hm?" Sango asked him innocently, drawing back from his lean body to smile at him coyly. "What did you want husband?" She added, giggling. Miroku sighed and shook his head as he intertwined his arm around her slim waist, squeezing her side. The tajiya gasped and stiffened, her eyes going to his face to see one violet eye close for a split second wink._

_"Let's go inside," he told her softly, helping to lead her towards the recent hut that they had built together along with the help they had received from Inuyasha and Kagome. Their three-room hut was suitable but not as fancy as Miroku would have liked for his dear Sango, but she insisted that she did not mind. Just being with him pleased her far more than an expensive, rich palace ever could._

_Sango sighed deeply as she dressed for bed, sliding her yukata over her slim, toned body as she prepared to lie down on the futon that was stationed on the floor. After situating herself on the mattress, she would wait for her dear husband and possibly... Oh... Very bad thoughts, she told herself, her cheeks blushing thoroughly, even though he is my husband and we have done this before..._

_Miroku pushed the cloth that acted as the door to their small room out of the way as he tore into the room, his eyes scanning over her form in delight. "The children are asleep," he told her, winking at her as his eyes narrowed to enthrall the seduction. He cleared his throat and slowly sat down on the futon beside his lovely wife and smiled down at her, his hand reaching for hers as he pulled her into a sitting position._

_Sango leaned into his touch as his hand wandered into her hair, his fingers loosening the tie that bound her beautiful ebony hair. He then let out a sound that could have been associated as a groan as he leaned forward, his eyes closing when her arms crept up his torso to grip the section of his clothing that cloaked his chest. "Kami-sama... You are so beautiful," he whispered, his voice full of emotion and lust as he opened his eyes and held her face in his hands, kissing her deeply on the lips, his tongue sliding into the depths of her mouth._

_"Mm, Miroku," Sango breathed into his mouth, breaking away from his mouth for air as she panted, her head tilting back as he kissed her neck gently and lovingly. Her hands wandered up his neck to his small ponytail and she pulled the rubber band that secured his unruly, dark hair. She delved her hands into his black tresses, gasping and stiffening when he ran his hand over the arch of her back and to the seat of her buttocks._

_"Sango," he said, his voice tender and yet rough at the same time. He undid the ties of yukata, the soft material started to slide down her shoulders on its own accord and he drew back to take in her lovely form. He then started to push her down towards the futon until the cry of a baby pierced the air. The couple's perfect and romantic fantasies were tossed out the window as the wail continued to sound._

_"I'll get her," Sango told her husband in disappointment as she drew her yukata up over her shoulders again, slipping her arms more securely through the sleeves, kissing him on the forehead in apology._

_"Damned children," Miroku mumbled, waggling his eyebrows at Sango before she left the room to go to the baby. The tajiya shook her head while she strolled down the short hall, entering her daughter's room._

_"Kaa!" Her little girl cried from the crib. Sango walked to the small 'cradle' that Kagome had given her from her future time period and saw her daughter struggling and sobbing from under her blanket. She reached to move it and let out a muffled cry as her hand clasped over her mouth in horror._

_Sango's heart pounded in her ears as her eyes beheld the child before her. Silver hair... twitching fluffy puppy ears... golden eyes... This baby was not her child! "Kaa!" The baby screamed again._

_"No..." The young woman uttered in disbelief and shock, licking her lips as she reached towards the hanyou baby that was lying in the cradle. She was distracted when another voice sounded from behind her. "Where is **my** daughter?" she asked herself, feeling her anxiety wash through her body entirely._

_"Kaa-san? What is it?" Her sleepy boy asked from behind. Sango whirled to face her son, gasping her heart thudding mercilessly in her chest. She let out another shrill cry of alarm when she saw the same hair, eyes and ears that her little daughter had taken on as well._

_"What is going on?" She shouted in confusion and shock as her impossibly wide eyes looked passed her son and to her daughter again._

_"Kaa-san! What's wrong?" Her son called after her as Sango bolted from the room and scurried down the hall to try and gather her scattered thoughts and disturbed mind. Tears started to well up in her eyes but she choked them down. She had to find Miroku and show him what was going on. These hanyou couldn't be her children!_

_"Miroku!" Sango exclaimed as she dived into their bedroom and stood perfectly still when she saw that there was no Miroku currently occupying her bed but instead a larger mass that was hidden beneath the blankets. She swallowed and tip-toed towards the futon and bent down, her hand reaching for the covers but she let out a small sound of surprise when the being under the blankets that she sought to move shifted._

_Suddenly, someone emerged from under the depths of the covers and she went mute in awe and disbelief. Her hand reached up to cover any that she might have said but couldn't bring herself to make sound. Two golden eyes pined her with a passion and fervor that she had never seen before. "S-Sesshomaru?" she stuttered, watching him as he moved towards her._

_"Coming to bed, Sango?" His deep baritone voice rumbled as he reached out his hand for her and- -_

"AH!" Sango cried, sitting up swiftly in her bed, her heart pounding in her chest. She sighed and caught her breath, looking to the other side of her futon to see little Rin sleeping soundly and was very pleased that Sesshomaru was not occupying her bed. _**Oh** that was frightening..._ she thought in displeasure as she raked a hand through her sleep-mussed hair, wincing when she moved her sore neck just a bit too much.

The tajiya was brought from her ponderings when the little girl beside her reached for more blankets to warm herself from the chill in the hut caused by the coolness of the night. Sango smiled softly and tucked the girl in again, slowly getting out of the blankets to stare at the faint rays of sunlight that were leaking into the small house.

A muffled sigh passed Sango's lips while she dressed herself quietly in a plain beige kimono, her dark eyes watching Rin, hoping that she wouldn't wake her up from her peaceful sleep. _She's such a cute and sweet girl_, she thought tenderly, a smile perking at her lips as she ran her fingers through her sleep disheveled hair. She then tied her tapering black mane into a low ponytail carelessly as she swept the door to the hut out of the way to the outside.

Stretching her aching muscles and inhaling some of the crisp, cool morning air, the tajiya looked about herself. Kirara was sleeping soundly by the shaded side of the hut, her body curled into a ball. _She must have eaten too much fish. Normally she is awake by this time of the morning,_ Sango mused as she continued to walk on towards the stream so she could wash her face.

Once she approached the bank, she realized that she wasn't alone in her endeavor. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sesshomaru's tall and regal form stooped over and drinking from the stream. Her eyes took in every detail of his demon pride and she suddenly found herself having some trouble breathing regularly.

His eyes were closed and some of his hair had spilled over his shoulder into the stream, the long, threads of his pure white mane spreading out like tendrils in the water. The stripes on his cheekbones were also accentuated because of the contrast of his pale skin and hair. Sango licked her lips and inhaled deeply hoping to cure her light-headedness as she continued to observe the taiyoukai.

_When had he become so handsome and beautiful?_ The tajiya wondered to herself, gasping when the Inuyoukai's eyes snapped open and his head turned in her direction. His golden orbs scorched her for a moment with intensity and irritation as they narrowed and he sat up, the portion of his hair that had been in the water dripping onto the green grass. He scooped up his damp hair and wrung it in a fluid motion, his eyes never leaving Sango's. It was as if he was gauging her reaction or waiting for her to pounce on him.

"It is impolite to stare," he told her finally, the short distance between them not masking the annoyance and aloofness of his voice. He rolled up to his feet in a graceful motion from his heels and started to walk in her general direction with such slowness that Sango feared that she had done something awful.

"My apologies," she quickly stated with a slight hint of sarcasm in her voice. She sent him an unsure look before she averted her gaze to the clear water of the stream and knelt to gather some in her cupped hands. As she did so, she found herself falling when something strong and forceful shoved into her back and sent her flying into the brook.

Spluttering with righteous confusion and anger, the tajiya looked up through her soaked curtain of hair to see Sesshomaru's mouth turned up in a wry, condescending half-smile. She wiped some water out of her eyes and was ready to demand why he had done such a thing to her when he let out a constrained, cruel chuckle. This confused Sango for she had never heard him do such a thing before, let alone ever thought he was capable of having a sense of humor.

"Looking like a wet dog suits you, human," he told her, his eyes flashing with brief humor when all traces of his half-smile had vanished. "It is also where you should be, paying your respects to this Sesshomaru on your knees."

Sango pined him with a thoughtful gaze for a moment and thought of a wonderful comeback. "Is that a compliment Inu no Taisho? You are a dog yourself after all," she shot back at him with no emotion in her voice, save for a bit of wry intellect. "It would be my pleasure to serve you," she added, making a small 'woof' noise as she mock bowed to him.

"You bore me," The taiyoukai scoffed after a short period of silence in which he was wondering how she had come up with such a comeback. _She is witty and I despise it_, he thought in irritation. What had he agreed to the night before?

Sango shrugged her shoulders and climbed up the bank of the creek and sat on the grass slope, smoothing out her soaked clothing and twisted her hair along with the fabric of her dress to wring the water out. "Rin slept well last night, just in case you were wondering," Sango stated out of the blue, knowing that the Taiyoukai would probably have wanted to know. "In fact, she is still sleeping," she added, and stood up, turning around so she could face him.

Sesshomaru nodded slightly, his bangs ruffling slightly at the motion and Sango found herself mesmerized by it. She swallowed and gathered her bearings as she started off to go and change her clothes.

"The bodies of human females are much too scrawny. I do not understand how they bear children," the Taiyoukai said to no one in particular, even though the tajiya knew that the comment was directed towards her. It made her turn back and she stopped a moment to wonder what he was talking about. "They are nothing next to the figures of female youkai," he added before he headed towards the camp where his dragon and toad companions were still sound asleep.

Sango's brow scrunched in thought for a short amount of time before she looked down at herself and realized her beige dress, that was soaking wet, was completely see through and revealing everything in her woman nature. She gasped aloud and clasped her hands over her exposed breasts and stared in complete mortification after Sesshomaru who did not even spare a glance backwards.

_Why—Why he... KAMI-SAMA! That's TWICE!_ She shrieked in her mind, her face nearly purple from embarrassment. Tearing back to the hut, the tajiya quickly stripped out of her soaking, see through kimono and changed into one the color of mahogany. There. At least when he pushes me into the water he will not be able to see anything, she thought in content. A small, soft yawn emitted from the little girl who had been sound asleep in her bed and a stab of guilt protruded her gut.

Creeping stealthily along the wall of the hall, a hanyou entered silently into a young woman's room unnoticed. Slowly, he strode over to her bed and ran his hand through her silky raven locks, smiling softly with pride gleaming in his amber eyes when she made a contented sound in her sleep.

"Kagome," Inuyasha whispered delicately into his slumbering mate's ear, shaking her relaxed form gently. "Kagome get up," His voice holding an edge of impatience.

"Mm... Just five more minutes," she moaned and rolled out of Inuyasha's reach, snuggling under the pink comforter that sheltered her mattress for more warmth and comfort. The hanyou let out a ragged sound of irritation and leapt from the bed, agilely landing on the carpeted floor with a huff. He exited her bedroom and bounded to the kitchen where he saw Kagome's mother and Grandfather busying themselves with morning chores.

The older woman's eyes brightened a bit when she saw the young man her daughter loved make his entrance into the kitchen. _It's a bit early, isn't it?_ she thought to herself, glancing up at the clock for brief moments. _Well, I suppose it's like Kagome says. Demons do not need much rest_... She momentarily stopped tending to breakfast and paused to give him a warm smile as he poked around the room, his demon nose twitching wildly trying to identify the wondrous spices and scents that loomed all around him. "Ohayo, Inuyasha. Did you sleep well in Sota's room?" she asked him before she turned back to the rice that she was preparing.

Inuyasha's silvery ears perked for a moment while Mrs. Higurashi continued to fix the morning meal. He grunted and shrugged, watching as the older woman watched him out of the corner of her eye, her mouth turning up in a kind, amused smile. "The kid snores," he mumbled indifferently.

Kagome's mother laughed softly for a moment and walked up to Inuyasha, seeing that he was a bit red in the eyes, and shook her head patiently. She patted him on the shoulder comfortingly before she went across the room to the sink where she filled a pan with water. "He really only does that when he's had an exciting day. He must have been very pleased to see you. You did, after all; play with him at the park, try on clothes with him at the shopping center and played videogames with him until I sent you two to take a bath," the older woman said serenely in reply. "Thank you for bringing joy to both of my children, Inuyasha," she added before she gestured him out of the kitchen and into the den where Ji-chan was reading the paper.

The hanyou's cheeks flushed red for a moment at Mrs. Higurashi's touching words but he did his best to hide it when he entered the family room where Kagome's grandfather was watching him studiously over the top of his newspaper. "After Sota had commenced snoring, my young demon friend, you did not snoop around in my granddaughter's room... did you?" Grandpa Higurashi asked fiendishly, gauging the half-Inuyoukai's response.

"Keep your shirt on, old man. I slept out in the hall," came the heated, slightly embarrassed answer to the suggestive question. Inuyasha plopped down on a plump pillow by the dining table, propping his arm up on his knee to hold up his head as he started to brood.

"Good," came the clipped, impersonal reply. "So, I assume that you wish to return to the Sengoku Jidai today?" the old man started an attempt at conversation once again, seeing the hanyou shrug at his question. Grandpa Higurashi sighed and resumed reading his paper with interest as he broke off their speaking, making Inuyasha wonder if there was any relevancy to the question the old fart had asked.

From the kitchen, Mrs. Higurashi overheard Inuyasha say that he and Kagome would possibly be returning to the Feudal Era and she felt a bit crestfallen. These were now rare occasions when she was able to see her daughter. She worried her lower lip between her teeth for a moment as she thought of a way to keep Kagome here at least for one more day. She was feeling like she barely knew her daughter anymore.

As if on cue, Kagome entered the kitchen in her checked blue pajamas, her dark hair a mussed tangle as she yawned exaggeratingly. Inuyasha perked at the sound and was in the kitchen in an instant, acknowledging her presence. Mrs. Higurashi looked towards her daughter and saw the young woman sluggishly trudging along to get to the den where she could sit down.

"Good morning, dear," she said to her daughter who jumbled out a barely coherent form of 'ohayo goziamas, okaa-san.'

"I've been up waiting for you," Inuyasha told Kagome in uncharacteristic excitement. Mrs. Higurashi smiled and crossed her arms as she observed the two as Kagome answered him with a drowsy 'that's nice, Inuyasha.' He must have been bored and lonely being cooped up with a snoring Sota all night. She sighed pleasantly as she started to carry dishes in to the dining table. _Ah, young love..._

After Kagome had ingested some breakfast, and Inuyasha scarfed down his food as fast as he could, the young woman was more awake and in cheery spirits. She turned towards her mate and looked at him expectantly for a moment. "Tonight's the new moon, Inuyasha," she said gently, seeing him nod somewhat anxiously. "Are we going to stay here?" Before the hanyou could answer however, Kagome's mother took full advantage of that question.

"Oh, I do hope you two will be staying here!" She exclaimed and grabbed for Inuyasha's bowl, spooning him out another serving of rice with an overly happy smile upon her face. Kagome gulped, knowing what her mother was going to do. Guilt trip! The young woman though as she relaxed her upright posture a bit and looked pleadingly towards Ji-chan who was still pretending to read his newspaper.

"It would be so nice. You're hardly ever home anymore Kagome, and I think it would be a nice night to take Inuyasha out to downtown Tokyo. You should ride the subway. You could make it a date," she added with emphasis, her kind eyes turning on Inuyasha. "Doesn't that sound like something lovely to do on your human night? You haven't been out and about in our time since the second time you stayed here for the new moon," the older woman pressed, handing a distraught hanyou the filled bowl of rice, hoping it would seal the deal.

"Um..." Inuyasha stuttered, not really knowing what to say. He guessed he didn't have a choice, especially when Mrs. Higurashi's determination was leaking out of every single one of her features! He looked towards his mate, seeing her looking slightly pink in the cheeks as she stared at her mother. "Er... What do you wanna do, Kagome?" he asked her as he popped a chunk of rice in his mouth.

Kagome sighed and ran a hand over her mussed head as she gave in to her mother's wishes. "That's sounds great, mom! Thanks for the suggestion!" she replied, laughing a bit, hoping to lighten the mood. Ji-chan mumbled something from behind his paper and Kagome didn't quite catch it. She did, however, turn to see Inuyasha smiling somewhat as he shook his head.

"These are stupid," Inuyasha scoffed as he pulled on the white polo shirt and black jeans that Mrs. Higurashi had given him money to purchase at the store the day before. He grunted as he scratched at the tag beneath his heavy black locks in irritation. He glanced at himself in the 'mirror' beside the 'toilet'. He grinned smugly in the mirror and flexed his left arm and gasped, realizing how idiotic he must have looked, regaining his composure by scowling viciously. He then exited the bathroom that was conjoined to Kagome's room. He felt a bit sheepish because he was not used to the style of clothing humans wore in this era and also felt clumsy and daft because of his weakened senses. Kagome had been putting on her shoes, he supposed, for she was sitting on her carpeted floor with her one leg bent with the shoe on her one foot.

Kagome took in his handsome human appearance and smiled at him, motioning for him to sit beside her on the floor. She held out a pair of Reebok tennis shoes as he slowly strode over and popped a squat beside her. He stared at the sneakers for a moment before he steadily pulled the tongue of his right shoe up and went to put his foot inside. The young woman beside the human turned hanyou paused in her own method of dressing her feet as she watched him slide his feet into the white Reebok sneakers with ease. She was so proud of him for adapting and wearing shoes for their 'date' as her mother had called it.

_Ok, the damned things are now on my feet... but, I can't remember how to get them to stay_, Inuyasha thought nervously as he felt some sweat beads mounting on his forehead. He felt Kagome's soft gaze upon him and experienced even more pressure. Damn it all! He really wanted to impress her and now he couldn't remember how to get the stupid foot contraptions to stay!

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked him softly, leaning in to look at his shoes a bit before her eyes returned to meet his violet ones. "Do you need help tying your shoes?" she inquired gently so he would not have to retort proudly and feel like a fool. The young human man visibly relaxed his rigid posture and grunted stubbornly in annoyance, but the young woman knew that this was her invitation to help him.

"I didn't remember how to get them to stay," Inuyasha muttered lamely, his voice not as brisk and hoarse as it sounded when he was in his true state. He watched her slender fingers lace the ribbons together with ease, his feet now fitting snugly inside the tennis shoes comfortably (although he still wished they were bare). He sighed and inhaled as much of her delightful fragrance as possible with his human nose, noting that she had applied some 'perfume' to her neck and behind her ears.

"There you go," Kagome told him cheerfully, mussing his thick, dark bangs a bit before she pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. Her lips lingered on his warm forehead for a moment before she drew back, sighing contentedly when he caressed his fingers along the planes of her face. "Are you ready to go?" she questioned him; straightening the collar of the pale polo shirt he was wearing. Man he looked good!

"Whatever," he mumbled as he rolled up to his feet, his lean body arching at the movement and Kagome marveled in it. He reached out his hand and awkwardly helped her up as he released her hand and they left her house together, walking along the street to get to the subway station.

"It's ok," Kagome whispered to Inuyasha, leaning on his shoulder as she gripped his hand to help give him support. His eyes were bloodshot and she could feel the tension radiating off of his currently rock hard body as he fought to keep it hidden. She was afraid that he was going to snap! "We're almost at the station," she added, rubbing her thumb across his knuckles, feeling some of the tightness that was wound so deeply in her unsure mate's body subside a bit.

A old woman standing beside the pair looked away from the moving sights of Tokyo to see the young man with lovely long, dark hair standing like a brick wall, looking like he was going to be ill. Her dark eyes clouded briefly as she reached over and tapped the young woman who was accompanying him on the shoulder. "Is he going to be all right?" she asked earnestly.

"Oh, he'll be fine. He just doesn't like subways," she replied, her voice sounding hurried and anxious as she felt Inuyasha unconsciously clench her hand more tightly than he had been. The hanyou turned human set his jaw into a more tense line as he swallowed deeply, the fast moving easing him a tiny bit. This car traveled faster than he could run, it seemed, and it was a bit nerve wrecking!

"Oh, that's too bad," the elderly woman said to Kagome, her aged, dark eyes observing the nervous and extremely tense Inuyasha with sympathy. "Young man," she said to him. The hanyou looked down to meet the old woman's eyes, feeling bile rise in his throat as the car continued to travel and shake. "A man who lives in an apartment with his wife a floor below me dislikes the subway also. He says it's far too fast and it makes him feel inadequate, or something or other," she chuckled for a moment when Inuyasha fixed her a look of confusion. Kagome listened in harder, seemingly interested in the kind of hag's story.

"Would you like some pocky, dear? I'm going to see my grandson and I do suppose I spoil him too much," she asked the young man who was looking a little bit more at ease than he had been moments before. She withdrew a pink pocky box from her purse and held out the treats to Inuyasha, who refused as politely as he knew how.

"No," he dismissed her, his voice gentle. The old woman understood and smiled at the two young people as the subway came to a slow halt. Kagome led Inuyasha safely out of the traveling car and saw that this stop was the old woman's as well.

"I do hope you two have a good time being young," the elderly woman called to them, waving as she walked in the opposite direction of the beaming lights emitting from downtown Tokyo. Kagome giggled as Inuyasha let out a heaving breath that seemed to have been holding away all of his emotions.

"Are you ok now?" Kagome asked him, sliding her arms around one of his muscular ones, cuddling into his as they walked along.

"What are you talkin' about 'ok now'? I was fine the whole time," Inuyasha snapped defensively, his words lacking the fire of emphasis. Kagome let out a sober sounding sigh as she laid her head on his shoulder, the warmth of his skin beneath his clothes soothing her own anxiety about everything that was going on.

"That was a really nice old lady, don't you think?" the young woman asked her mate as they started walking down a brightly lit street that was crowded with busy people. Other couples were strutting around, stopping in at outdoor shops; children were running around with their mother's calling after them. Inuyasha was thankful that he did not have his sensitive demon senses for a moment for he realized that he would have been overwhelmed by all of the chaos and different smells.

The hanyou did not reply to Kagome's question but continued to observe their surroundings, feeling his muscles tense in the unfamiliar environment. "Hey, it's ok. Relax. No one is going to get you here," she told him in a soothing voice.

"Hmph," he muttered, as they continued to walk. Seeing his obvious discomfort, Kagome decided to direct them towards the park where it would be a bit quieter and a little more like the home that he was accustomed to. The lush greenery of the park seemed to sooth the hanyou turned human as Kagome released his arm to sit down on a bench, her eyes going to the pitch-blackness of the sky.

"This place is kinda like home," Inuyasha told her, his features softening a bit at the quiet atmosphere and seemingly fresher air. Kagome nodded at him, smiling softly as she gestured for him to sit down beside her. The young man shrugged and took a seat beside his mate, pausing for a moment to kick off his shoes and shed his socks. Kagome laughed out loud.

"You just couldn't wait to get those off, could you?" she giggled, wiping a tear that came to her eye.

"What?" he demanded, looking crossly towards her even though he was fairly amused that he had made her laugh uproariously. "The damned things are uncomfortable!" He shot back in his defense, grinning at her when she sighed and rested her head on his chest, the soothing sound of his strong heartbeat calming her. He wrapped his arm around her and found his fingers twirling around in her hair idly.

"Your heartbeat... is so nice," she whispered as she closed her eyes for a moment, relishing in the soft thud and vibration that was emitting from his chest. Inuyasha let out a grunt for a second but tightened his affectionate hold on her. Kagome's eyes fluttered open when she heard soft voices also speaking in the distance. She sat up and looked down a pathway to see two figures strolling along the park, hand in hand.

"Well, it looks like they're doing the same thing we are," the young woman said in a flattered voice as the couple drew closer. There was a rich, feminine laugh that struck home in both the hanyou and the miko as they stiffened immediately. "I-Inuyasha?" Kagome stuttered as the figures continued to draw closer, the woman's appearance become clearer, along with that of her partner's.

"Yeah... That sounded like Sango," he told her, straining his human violet eyes as best he could to make out what the woman looked like. He took in a confused, shaky breath but covered his bewilderment by scoffing about it. "It's _her _all right," he told Kagome matter-of-factly. The young woman leaned forward a bit for closer scrutinize furthermore.

The woman had long ebony hair that was tied back in a low ponytail and her dark, luminous eyes were shining in happiness and contentment. She laughed again at something the man with elbow length raven hair said to her and cuddled into his arm for a moment. Kagome's eyebrows fixated together in confusion as she continued to watch the two. _Who is that man? _She wondered, unable to decipher his appearance with such little provided light.

"Is... Is that possible?" she thought aloud, completely stunned as the woman came closer and bent down to tie her shoe. "Wouldn't she... be dead by this era?"

"That makes sense to me," Inuyasha told her, before he let out a sound of alarm as he watched the tall, muscular man who was walking with 'Sango'. "Look at him," he ordered his mate, his eyes staring in disbelief as the couple who they had been observing passed the bench that they were sitting on.

As soon as the Sango who was in this era and the man who had accompanied her were out of sight, Kagome covered her hand over her mouth, trying to put the pieces together. "That was Sesshomaru! Only... he looked like a human!" she exclaimed, her voice muffled as she continued to speak through her hands. "What's going on?"

Inuyasha stayed silent for a moment, mulling the matter over in his head silently. He leaned forward and rested his head on his hand as his thick, dark eyebrows knitted together with thought. This _had _to have something to do with the Shikon jewel, he mused.

_But what_? Weren't he and Kagome going to collect the rest of the jewel? Why was this not making any sense?

"Inuyasha, do you think this has to do with Sango going off on her own?" the young woman beside him asked, genuine concern apparent in her sweet voice as well as her serene chocolate colored eyes. His violet eyes met her dark brown ones and he admitted something that Kagome almost never heard him fess up to.

"I don't know," he answered, taking her hand. "But we'll figure it out when we go back," he told her, his toes going to play in the long blades of grass that sprouted beneath the bench they were sitting on. Kagome sighed and leaned against Inuyasha's warm shoulder, trying to calm her thoughts and enjoy the rest of the night with her mate.

Writer's Corner:

End of chapter! Dun dun dun... What are Sango and Sesshomaru doing in the present and why does Sesshomaru look like a human? Well, your questions will be answered in due time! Also, I hope you all enjoyed the Inuyasha and Kagome stuff I put in here. I thought it was time for a change of scenery.

Happy Day Light Savings time everyone and Happy Halloween! That was your present! Please review ;)

Luv,

RayJay


	7. Chapter Six

_**Chapter Six:**_

Soft brown eyes that belonged to a lovely young woman narrowed in concentration as they bore holes in the rushing river by her hut. Her pink tongue darted out to moisten her lips as she stared at her reflection intently, stopping every so often to look about her in case someone was watching. A certain specific _someone_ who had seen her body exposed earlier…

_Is my body that scrawny and unpleasing?_ The tajiya wondered, placing her hands on her slim hips. She then shifted her weight to one side, wondering if the change of pose enhanced her feminine curves but stopped, feeling foolish.

_What am I doing?_ Sango asked herself, a sheepish but well earned blush spreading across her attractive face. _Why am I letting the words of a haughty demon get the better of me?_ A sigh of exasperation blew out of the young woman's mouth and she shook her head. She didn't care what he thought of her. He was an aggravating pessimist when it came to females or anyone 'beneath' him, it seemed.

Feeling frustrated now by her doubt, Sango spun on her heel and followed a worn path that wound around the backside of her cottage. The small dirt road continued through a patch of forest before there was a clearing, revealing a long, ancient looking hut. Nostalgia and memories flooded back to her and they warmed her heart as she pushed aside the tattered cloth that served as a makeshift door.

_Father, you would be proud of me,_ the tajiya thought with a smile gracing her lips. _I've returned to the library on my own._

As a child, Sango had never been interested in the village's library or being inside it for long periods of time. She had never had the opportunity or the pleasure of reading for her own enjoyment. Her father had often pushed her to study the scrolls on battle techniques, defense mechanisms, weaknesses that certain demons had and much more. It had all been a bore, but it seemed that she executed many things that she had learned from the scrolls in battle.

Entering the miniature, but very filled library, Sango had to wave a sheet of thick cobwebs out of her face before she could go further. _Just how old is this place and how long has it been vacant?_ She wondered as she pinned the cloth door to the wall, allowing more sunlight to enter into the musty library. Her gaze was then turned to the many shelves that housed hundreds of recorded scrolls. There was so much more, she saw, since she had last been in the aged hut.

At the age of 13, the day she had become a full-fledged tajiya, she had made an oath to not enter the ancient, dank place except only in the time of need. She laughed at her young naïveté, thinking that she would never enter the library again possibly as an adult. She had been so young and so brash at times, though she tried to appear mature, calm and collected.

Sango inhaled deeply and exhaled, feeling some of the tensions leave her aching neck where Sesshomaru had crushed her. She rolled her eyes at the thought of the arrogant pup and wandered within an arms reach of the various scrolls, her dark eyes scanning over the labels. **_Youkai feeding habits, Kitsune breeding observations, Neko youkai domestication…_** _Wow! There's so much here!_

The tajiya thought a moment and halted in her search as she pursued her current train of thought. She looked around cautiously before even attempting to think about a specific breed of demon… In case he was around, watching her…

Sango resumed her sifting through the scrolls that were lying in alphabetical and chronological order, passing 'G', 'H'… her hand pausing when she came across 'I'. _I wonder if we have records on Inuyoukai?_ She thought mischievously as she snatched the roll of parchment as soon as she had spotted it.

_Here it is!_ Excitement hoarded over her in a warm rush as a grin lit her entire face. She didn't exactly know why she felt so happy about finding the scroll but she believed she was interested in finding a weakness that all dog demons shared… well, that was her intention at first…

Her limber fingers unraveled the tightly wound piece of paper and she smoothed out the aged, brittle parchment to the best of her ability, not tearing it. Then, she delicately placed the long sheet on a low table and immediately examined the scrawled contents and pictures of the page.

**_"Never before has there been a more interesting breed of demon. As we have studied the few creatures among and around us, we have learned many things. They are intelligent, cunning and aggressive beings that possess a strong will and an even stronger will to live._**

**_The physical traits they all have in common are their talons that can tear through almost anything. They use them for defense and for offense in battle. Being the dominant demons that they are, it is exceedingly hard for them to evade battle once it has been waged…"_**

_Don't I know it,_ Sango mused to herself, as she continued to read on.

**_"Battling is a way of settling affairs among the Inuyoukai. It helps to keep them honorable and it gauges the respect they have for their opponent. In most cases, they will refuse to attack an adversary when they are not at their full strength because it would only serve in showing that they had to defeat their enemy in their weakened state._**

_**Battle is another way to prove oneself to someone they might consider taking as a future mate. Whether it be claws and fangs or just disagreeing and fighting verbally, they are very aggressive and equally as picky. Dog demons, it seems, seek those who are strong at heart that will not crumble when all seems lost. They hope to find a demon of the same breed that possesses these qualities but often enough, that is a folly they cannot always indulge in.**_

_**The population of hanyou increases bit by bit because of these proud specimens. They rarely mate with humans to secure their lineage and it is even more rare for a demon and a human to fall in love.**_

_**It has been observed in the past that the Lord of the Western lands is an Inuyoukai himself. He was unmated for several centuries and just recently has taken an Inuyoukai mate. She is fair, strong and cold towards our kind but she protects us in the time of need. Showing emotion is not her way at all. We thank her for her assistance and she tells us we were lucky that she came to our aid. It is difficult to understand our lady since she keeps herself so closed off from us…"**_

_Sesshomaru's parents,_ the tajiya thought, utterly fascinated. _No wonder he acts the way he does. He must take after his mother_, she added, her eyes finding their spot on the parchment yet again. The next passage was dated a decade later and the writing appeared to be someone else's.

**_"Our lady has born a child with our Inutaisho-sama and he is very magnificent. He, like his mother, is rather aloof from all appearances but he is eager to learn about us. Our lady brings often brings the young prince to watch us as we toil in the hot sun, while having us keep distant from him…"_**

_Sesshomaru as a child,_ Sango laughed to herself, a smile lighting her lips as she pictured the Taiyoukai in his boyhood. A small boy with white hair, large golden eyes and the intense look of boredom were stationed on his face. The tajiya giggled, finding where she had left off, seeing that the date of the passage had been altered again by a few years.

**_"Sadly enough, this discloses our records on Inutaisho-sama and our Great Lady, as well as their son. As of late, they have not been present as often as they once were and we wonder if things have taken place…"_**

Another author had continued to the next selection but its date was not given. _That's all that they have about Sesshomaru's family?_ Sango released a sigh of disappointment but shrugged, satisfied that she had at least found something about his past, though it felt like spying… When she scanned over the title that was given of the following section, she turned five shades of scarlet and almost fell away from the table. Just where had they found records on _THAT?_

"Mating positions?" She asked aloud in alarm, her eyebrows nearly reaching her hairline. She swallowed and began to roll the scroll, not wanting to learn anymore when a massive shadow cloaked the doorway, accompanied with a youkai aura she recognized instantly. She froze in what she was doing, her eyes squeezed shut in mortification as she loosed her anxious shoulders and tried to appear calm and composed.

"Rin was looking for your company but I see that you are occupied," a deep, entrancing voice spoke from the giant shadow that had been looming in the doorway behind Sango. The tajiya stiffly turn to meet his gaze, a forced smile upon her face.

The demon lord absorbed her scent that was spasmodically changing from embarrassment to normality and the tightness of her actions. He slowly found amusement winding its way through his chest as he continued to observe her. He had only been trying to find her for his charge's sake, but instead chanced upon hearing her say, "mating positions" in obvious abhorrence and now he found himself wanting to know what she had doing. His lovely golden eyes narrowed into slits as he scanned around her critically, trying to find any object of ridicule. She had been doing something she obviously did not want him to know about and he suddenly felt very paranoid.

"Good afternoon," she told him with forced cheer, her hand slowly closing around the scroll that was perched on the low table she was seated at. She moved her arm with approximated slowness towards herself as she stood, watching him like a hawk for any fast movements. Though she was a highly trained demon slayer, it did not save her from the agility and swiftness of Sesshomaru.

A manipulative smirk lit the corners of the clearly intrigued Taiyoukai's lips and he snatched her arm, ripping the item that was causing her obvious discomfort out from her enclosed fist.

"No! Wait!" Sango cried frantically, attempting to shrug away from his cruel hold on her wrist. Her cheeks blazed in outrage and embarrassment while she flailed her arm that had liberty towards the scroll that was so far out of her reach.

"What is _this_?" Sesshomaru of the Western Lands mused aloud, more to himself than her. He kept his voice firm and bored, successfully masking the amount of curiosity he was feeling. His honey colored eyes flicked to her face, gauging any further reactions. He turned the roll of paper until he found the label and almost sent her a quizzical look. "Inuyoukai," he remarked arrogantly, scoffing a laugh that held no traces of humor. "Tajiya are predictable in more ways than one," he added and passed her on his way out of the hut. He paused however when he heard her breathing fault for a moment in frustration, her aura spiking angrily.

"What do you mean by that?" she questioned him crossly, her eyebrows descending over indignant dark chocolate colored orbs. She felt her anger rising faster but fought to keep it at bay, her stomach rolled uncomfortably. Her gaze perceived him quite well as she fit the pieces together, starting with the brash conclusion he had made. _You think that I'm looking for an easy way to kill you, don't you?_ She asked the tall, magnificent Taiyoukai as she eyed him darkly. _It might have started out that way… but now I find myself more interested in learning about you_. "Aren't you jumping things a bit too soon?" she pressed him, crossing her toned arms across her chest in defiance.

"There are probably weaknesses listed in these grave looking texts," He informed her, his voice cool and composed. His eyes were distant though as _he_ continued to try and figure _her_ out at the moment. "However," he added over his shoulder as he turned to make his leave, "I care not if you try and manipulate them," he finished haughtily, tossing the scroll over his shoulder. Sango barely caught the roll of parchment but felt her temper rising steadfastly. He really _was_ unbearable!

"You think that you know so much," She laughed wickedly, mocking him with condescension in her tone. "Dog demons really are very proud creatures. So proud that they must always have the last word," she clipped off though, when he made no move. What was he going to do? Sango quickly braced herself for the coming beating but found that he was just… standing there!

Feeling braver at his welcomed silence, the tajiya finished her train of thought. "Don't ever presume to know what I'm thinking, Sesshomaru, or you might just end up sailing down a rushing river and will be stuck without a paddle!" And with that, she dropped the scroll that had caused so much commotion and brushed past him, his silky mane sliding against her smooth skin for the barest of moments.

* * *

_Well, with that said, he's probably contemplating a very complicated plan for my demise,_ the young woman thought, blowing out an exasperated breath. She placed her hand to her abdomen, which was feeling slightly upset, and she massaged gently, wondering where the strange feeling had come from. Her eyes then darted up to the clear afternoon sky, the sun flush warmth against her skin. _I'll have to tell Kagome-chan that I used one of her modern phrases to insult Sesshomaru_, Sango giggled to herself. _I wonder what he's doing now?_

* * *

Sesshomaru stood in the entrance of hut, deep in thought. _Sailing down a river… without a… paddle?_ His brow scrunched for a moment in concentration as he struggled to come up with a plausible explanation, finding none quickly. _That statement makes hardly any sense at all!_

Choosing to forget about the confusing statement that Sango had tossed at him, he retrieved the scroll and unraveled it. He was a bit disappointed, clearly noticing how large of a miscalculation he had made with his accusation. He did find himself very puzzled though as he rolled the sheet of parchment back up, setting it on the low table. _There is nothing even remotely resourceful in these texts about my kind_, he told himself, turning to face the shelves that were crammed full of different records.

Smugness coated his bewildered state as he observed the various stacks of unorganized readings. _What a pathetic library_, the Taiyoukai concluded in his judgment, his thoughts returning to his own enormous study back at his home in the Western Lands. The two did not even compare!

He glazed his claws along the brittle scrolls, tawny eyes examining each label with a bit of unhidden curiosity. He inhaled deeply, the pungent odor of must and dank wood filling his senses along with a more subtle, pleasing aroma. A smell that eased his muscles, all the while sending an ###### twitch through his middle. He closed his eyes a moment, pressing the sweet scent to memory as he associated it with the demon slayer who had had the audacity to attack his genitals… **Hold the phone!**

Pleasing aroma? Sweet scent? Belonging to a scrawny, undeveloped female who had been lucky enough to strike him in his privates when he had been off his guard? Sesshomaru stopped himself, his heart contracting for a moment as he felt slightly short of breath. He was loosing control of his raging emotions and that was not a good thing!

The Inuyoukai leaned against the wall of the ramshackle hut, regaining his cool façade as he inhaled deep, dragging breaths. _What is happening to me? I have recently met this woman, a human woman, no less… And her body is calling to me?_ Sesshomaru calmed himself quickly and ran a hand over his face, letting out a deep sigh. _There is an explanation, I just need to find it,_ he told himself, taking in a deep whiff of the air in the study once more.

Again, his nose was assaulted with the smell of decaying wood and mildew but he felt his stomach uncoil when he detected Sango's flowery scent again. How could he have missed the hint of musk in her fragrance? She was going into heat! Or… whatever human females fell into when they were ovulating…

Sesshomaru straightened up and exited the hut, hoping to escape from her tantalizing aroma that was threatening to drive him mad but found that she had left a trail when she had stormed her way back to the camp. He groaned internally, his stomach churning as he fought his all too male instincts. _This is not going to bode well_, he thought when he heard his charge and the woman who was making his blood boil with excitement laugh in unison in the distance. _This is not going to bode well at all… How did I overlook it and not notice it beforehand?_

**

* * *

**A wave of ebony spread like a blanket across the sky suddenly, the wind picking up its frigid ire as two limber legs fought to run against it. Long golden locks were lost in the violent breeze, azure eyes watering as a petite youkai charged head on into the frosty barrier of wind, hoping to escape from the fatal storm. 

_Where has this come from? This aura… This wind?_ The creature thought to herself, licking her chapped, wind-burned lips nervously. She started to feel short of breath, as the sky grew impossibly darker with every stride that she took. It was then that she realized she was running right into a trap. _His_ trap!

From behind her, a menacing laugh erupted, shaking the ground with its intense malice, frightening the demon that appeared to be fleeing it. The earth rumbled again with the rich, terrifying laugh and the youkai who had been fighting so hard to run through the intense conditions, lost her footing and rolled briskly across the ground.

She made an attempt to get up and continue her fast paced journey but her leg, it seemed couldn't agree with her. She let out a cry of fear, her golden mane blustering in all directions, her aqua depths large and frightened as a dark, tall figure approached her and snatched her up by her soft throat.

At the close proximity, the fair demon made out some of the astoundingly beautiful features of her attacker. He had smoldering iron orbs that were peering intensely into her face and his gnarled jet-black curls where beating against her bare arms viciously. His grip was so firm and accusing that the female youkai didn't dare defy him in any way, fearing that he would snap her neck in an instant. His long, elegant face was creased in a hateful smirk, his pearl fangs sharp and dangerous as he chuckled, his thumb caressing her smooth, ethereal skin.

"So here you are," He whispered, his full lips approaching the delicate shell of her pointed ear, brushing against the lobe. The small demon cringed when his hot breath tickled her sensitive ear, his hand never wavering in the grip he had on her throat.

"W-what do you want?" she stuttered, unable to form any coherent questions or sentences as his free hand began to slide down her slender arms. Her body shivered violently with cold and fear, as she stood motionless in his rough hold, not daring to make a move. _Fool, you know what he wants. You were warned but didn't take heed_, she chastised herself mentally, gasping abruptly when he glazed his claw along the flesh of her neck, piercing it. Thick drops of crimson blood beaded on top of the cut as the demon assailant greedily lapped them up with his despicable, lengthy tongue.

"Tell me where they are," He ordered, slipping his tongue along the curve of her throat, delighting in the way her body was becoming stiff with disgust. The small youkai refused to answer and mewled softly as he continued to torture her by nipping at her neck with his dangerously sharpened fangs. "You know what I'm looking for," he added darkly, his voice rumbling from deep within his diaphragm.

_Yes… Yes I do,_ she thought in anguish, a tear sliding down her cheek as she bit her tongue to stifle a cry of pain when he seized the hair at the nape of her neck roughly. Strangely enough, he started to toy with the fine hair in his hand and graced his talons through it gently. "They're mine," she finally forced out with all of the gathered courage she could muster. "I found them after Naraku's demise," she spat out angrily, finding herself smashed against the cold ground in one blink of her long eye-lashed eyes, a solid body weighing painfully on top of her.

"Yes, I see," the fearsome, loathsome demon above her growled, a bark of aggravated laughter emitting from his throat. "You seek to play the #######, don't you, Eri?" he lashed out callously, rolling her petite figure so that her blazing azure eyes were forced to stare into his bloodshot, fire-lit ones. "You will die by my hands if that is the case," he snarled furiously, standing up. His magnificent body towered over hers as he stayed still, observing her with a tortured gaze.

"What's happened to you?" She asked him in a small voice, pushing herself up weakly, seeking support from her pale elbows. She met his eyes, searching for any answer, finding nothing in his vacant, malicious face. Her heart tightened painfully within her chest for a moment as she felt a myriad of different emotions threaten to consume her. Betrayal… Hatred… Misery… She found her voice again, this time she was strong. "I thought that we were in this _together_!" She cried, tears spilling down her soft cheeks, her claws digging into the tough, frigid earth in her agony.

The seemingly stoic youkai held his ground for a moment before he turned his back to the stunningly beautiful female who was lying on the earth. He too was waging an inner battle with his heart, feeling the weakness that came with being too expressive of ones feelings. He tightened his mouth into a determined line and gazed over his muscle-bound shoulder, meeting a devastated face with his cold façade. "We were once," he replied to the inquiry she had made the moment before.

"Once?" The lovely demoness cried out in disbelief, her disgruntled golden locks strewn about her bare shoulders. He was a traitor! A _traitor_! Lying to her like he had… She had waited 53 years to possess the Jewel of Four Souls with him but another group that had the half-demon Inuyasha among them had collected it first. She had wanted to make a wish … She had been hoping to make a wish… But now… But now his selfishness had clouded his dreams as well! "I'll NEVER tell you where I have taken them! You'll NEVER know!" She barked, her tone desperate and appalled as she dug up a chunk of the earth and threw it towards the towering demon.

His eyes narrowed dangerously as he caught the piece of ground in his massive hand, crumbling it in his fist. "I do not need you," he whispered, his voice void of anything save fury. "I have _never_ needed you," he finished harshly, dropping the remnants of soil he held in his hand to the ground as he whirled quickly and vanished into the flurry of crystal white snow.

Eri fell back down to the ground that was quickly accumulating mounds of snow, her skin covered in gooseflesh as she lay there, shivering to death. Nothing was worth it anymore… He had changed… Something had changed him. There was no longer a look of passion in his eyes but one that held contempt and vengeance… What had happened to him?

It was no longer consequential though. The beautiful female demon was positive that he would never find where she had hidden the few fragments of the jewel that she had uncovered. It was by pure chance that she had come across the mythical place anyways…

* * *

"You're doing so well, Rin," Sango said, her voice in the deepest encouragement towards the little girl. She handed the child the last stick of pocky that she had with her and she stared at it in a moment in confusion. 

"What is this, Sango-sama?" Rin asked, her eyes squinting as she held up the long skinny cookie that was dipped in chocolate.

"It's a reward for working so hard," the elder woman replied, patting the top of Rin's head, her glossy hair soft under her hand.

Rin sniffed it for a moment and then slid her small pink tongue over the stick to get a taste and an enthusiastic grin lit her lips. The little girl nibbled a little bit off the end and then started to eat it faster, the sweet flavor lingering on her lips.

"It's good, isn't it?" The tajiya asked the child, watching her warmly as she ate the lone pocky stick. Rin nodded as she chewed the rest of the treat up, licking her lips to get all the sugar off of them.

"Where did you get this, Sango-sama? Rin likes- Ooh!" She shrieked, remembering what she and her companion had been working on all afternoon. That was the reason she had gotten the scrumptious desert in the first place! "_I_ like it," she amended, grinning proudly up at her teacher. Sango laughed softly, sighing when she saw Rin going through her bag to look for more of the treats.

"Gomen ne, little one. I don't have anymore," the demon slayer told her, feeling slightly guilty. Rin looked up and nodded, her visage bit crestfallen but she giggled and cheered up right away.

"It's all right, Sango-sama. I want to show Sesshomaru-sama what I can do now!" the charge of the demon lord of the West exclaimed, hopping up, her innocent doe eyes scrutinizing the surrounding area for any sign of her Lord. Realizing that if he was nearby that he would have showed himself, she contented herself in finding Jaken. The toad was seated by the mouth of the forest near the river beside the two heads of Ah and Un that were grazing contently. "Jaken-sama!" Rin shrieked, waving two small arms around in obvious diversion, receiving the old youkai's irritated attention.

"What do you want?" He snapped back, waving his staff around. "Do you always insist on pestering this old Jaken?" He threw at her accusingly as the human child drew closer.

Sango watched in innate fascination as Rin strode up to the ornery old demon and sassed him senseless with the new way of talking that she had learned. She laughed aloud but paused, feeling the grinding pulse in her navel that she had been experiencing all day. She stared down at her abdomen, a frown creasing over her features. She also noticed that she looked a bit bloated and sighed, shaking her head. _So THIS is what all of the stomach pain has been leading up to_, she thought in dismay. _I really hope the youkai around me don't notice. That would be so embarrassing_, she finished, her cheeks flushing a bit.

The tajiya's middle grumbled in discontent and she rested her hand on it, rubbing in small circles, hoping to sooth the unrest but felt a cramp seize her suddenly. She grimaced and stood up. She had learned from the women in her village as a younger teenager that walking helped to reduce menstrual pain or 'period pain' as Kagome-chan called it.

"Sango-sama! Look! There is Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin called, diverting her attention away from her ovulating body, behind her to where the small girl was pointing. Sure enough, there he was, in all his majesty. She swallowed when she met his eyes and quickly looked away, barely noticing that he had done the same.

_Kami-sama, she's intoxicating_, the Taiyoukai thought, the highly concentrated scent of musk and wildflowers threatening to overtake him. When she had looked away, he noticed the fragile blush that had illuminated her cheeks and the awkward position of her sagging body. Warmth of a kind he hadn't experienced in a long time seared through his chest and headed south as he continued to gaze upon her. _She is only ovulating… She is not really as tantalizing and attractive as she looks right now_, he convinced himself, his heart telling him otherwise. He felt sluggish now, his reaction time slowed. He hadn't even heard Rin calling his name until she was right before him and he had almost stepped on her!

"Sesshomaru-sama?" His ward asked him, a quizzical look rooted in her expression. "Does something ail you, my lord?"

He shook his head quickly, ridding the unbidden thoughts of the tajiya out of his mind. He stared down his nose as his adorable little charge and blinked once, making sure that he was completely composed before he answered her. "No, Rin. This Sesshomaru was merely contemplating some things," he replied, his golden eyes darting over, piercing Sango with their intense fire of unspoken words.

_Oh Kami-sama_, Sango cringed, her face an unbearable red. She turned away and crossed her arms under her sore chest, squinting her eyes shut. _He knows! He KNOWS!_ She shouted in her head, pacing a bit back and forth hoping to calm the anxious maelstrom in her stomach. She felt absolutely _mortified_!

"Sesshomaru-sama, I have something to show you!" Rin called to him, tugging on his elegant, embroidered sleeve. The Taiyoukai's attention snapped back to his charge when he had heard her speak. He arched a slender eyebrow at her, his mouth forming a ghost of an impressed smirk as he looked down at her. "Sango-sama made me practice speaking correctly and she gave me a 'desert' as a reward. I liked the treat, Sesshomaru-sama. It was very tasty," the little girl continued, sending up an accomplished smile to her Lord who seemed interested.

"I see," he told her, his massive hand resting atop her head as he toyed with her small ponytail. "You have done well," he told her, his voice reserved of emotion but the little girl laughed all the same, throwing herself onto one of his long legs, hugging him affectionately. Sesshomaru was taken aback by her sudden embrace but stood, waiting for her to disentangle himself from him, forgetting that a pair of soft, feminine eyes had watched the entire exchange.

"She even impressed Jaken," Sango added, walking closer to the pair. Sesshomaru proudly stared into her eyes, willing her to look away after she had spoken but found that she was not. Nodding at her remark, the Taiyoukai pulled away gently from his ward, his gaze never wavering from hers.

"Yes, well, I suppose that doesn't count for much," Sesshomaru replied to her offhanded remark, back-handedly insulting his vassal. Sango's eyes widened a bit when she saw his golden eyes fill with a humorous light for a moment before it vanished. She chuckled politely, feeling her cheeks warm up again, wondering why the Taiyoukai was sharing such a friendly exchange with her. Was it because he could smell her menstrual cycle in her scent or something?

"Indeed," she stated, not really sure why she had said it. She sighed and shifted her weight, an ache in her lower back becoming apparent as she stood there beside the handsome, proud Inuyoukai.

The pair was brought out of their musings of each other when they heard Jaken roar out a squawk of annoyance and a condescension towards Rin. Sango smiled at their antics, dropping her arms from their position under her breasts as she relaxed her shoulders. Sesshomaru stood beside her, his eyes flicking between the attractive, wonderful smelling tajiya and his companions.

"Do they always do that?" The human woman inquired, hoping that she would possibly be able to speak on more informal terms with the Taiyoukai. He nodded but chose not to comment further on her words. Sango nodded in return but noticed at he was staring at her oddly enough. She swallowed and laughed nervously, her face glowing again as she evaded his heated tawny gaze.

The peaceful, enjoyable mood was destroyed however, when a frigid chill intertwined with the near evening air, the orange-red sky smearing black. Sango felt her stomach clench, her forehead breaking out in a sweat despite the cold provisions as a sickly demon aura passed around the campsite. Sesshomaru stiffened and crouched for a moment, his nose alert, his ears perked and on guard. Rin and Jaken silenced immediately and Ah Un was ready for anything.

"What is this?" Sango asked him, her voice low as she hugged her arms around her body to keep out the freezing air. She felt like she was going to vomit the aura was so bad; it was almost as bad as Naraku's had been!

"Keep quiet," The Inuyoukai ordered mutely, running from her side. He appeared as a white blur to her vision he was inspecting things so quickly. He paused and looked up, his eyebrows lowering as he observed the artificial darkness overhead. _A barrier_, he thought, leaping into the air, unsheathing the Toukijin. His hair was blowing about him wildly and he had to squint his eyes to keep them from watering at the harsh breeze. He prodded the barrier experimentally with his powerful sword and was bounced back by a strong shock. He lost his balance and was sailing backwards, arching his back to catch himself in mid-air.

Sango watched, amazed by his gracefulness and agility, her lips turning blue. Her worried gaze shifted over to Rin, who was shaking with cold and fear. She could probably feel the effects of the awful demon aura as well, even if she didn't know what they were. "Rin!" The tajiya called over to the small girl, hoping to get her attention but the little girl didn't hear her over the harsh wind.

* * *

Two vengeful iron eyes peered down through the barrier that he had created, watching all of the creatures beneath its hold. The Inuyoukai was a powerful demon of that he was sure. _He smells of dog_, he concluded, his eyes narrowing further more in closer scrutiny. There was a dragon youkai and a toad that was nearby a little girl… But wait… 

He leaned in closer, his eyes straining to see a fair human woman. His eyes widened momentarily and he felt joy for when he realized that he had found just what he was looking for! _The Shikon no Tama shards… The ones I am seeking… She has some!_

He thought, feeling the adrenaline rush in his blood from the excitement.

The demon ran an enormous hand through his knotted jet-black tangles and loosened the strength of his barrier, to allow himself passage. _I'll have those shards, one way or another_, he thought smugly as he made illuminated his special youkai ability, disappearing from sight.

* * *

Sesshomaru growled in irritation, realizing that he was unable to break through the barrier or detect the presence of the being that was controlling it. His eyebrows furrowed in thought as he touched down on the ground, looking towards Rin and then to Sango, seeing that they had finally found each other. 

The wind was whipping viciously now and Sango cradled Rin's body to her own, hoping to keep the shivering girl warm when she was chilled to the bone herself. Her hair had come loose from the tie she had had it in and was now blowing in all directions, strands tangling together all over the place. Jaken and Ah Un were huddled together nearby and Sango looked to them, wondering why they were cold. They were youkai, weren't they? _I thought that demons weren't susceptible to the cold_, the tajiya thought bemusedly but gasped when hailstones started to plummet from the barrier. The little ice rocks stung her skin but she bore it, hoping to keep Rin safe. She clamped her eyes shut, keeping the little girl close to her for warmth when she felt warmth surround her also. She lifted her head and saw a strong arm encircling her neck. Sango rotated her head a bit and saw Sesshomaru sheltering _her_ from the hailstone and the frigid temperatures. She didn't know what to say, or to what do, but she relished the feeling of his warm, solid body against hers, snuggling her head under his chin when he pulled her against his chest. To protect them both from the constantly falling ice stones, Sesshomaru lifted the long sleeve of his haori and protected them both.

The Inuyoukai found himself holding her closer than he needed to, her body soft and small against his own. Her floral aroma teased his senses and the strict grip he had on his control as he closed his eyes and almost lost himself.

Sango was no longer shivering, nor was she frightened, but her heart was still pounding so hard he was afraid it was going to rocket right out of her chest! Rin was silent throughout the whole encounter but he could still detect the fear that laced her premature apple-lace scent.

The tajiya looked up, meeting his eyes shyly, her generous mouth stretched in a smile. "Arigato," she whispered, leaning her head down willing against his chest, her eyes closed in contentment. Sesshomaru stiffened uncomfortably for a moment when he felt her rest her hand on his heart, wondering why she was being so affectionate.

It was then that the tender scene was yet again interrupted by a menacing laugh that shook the earth…

* * *

_**Writer's Corner:**_

DUDE! It's been MONTHS everyone! Oh lordy! I apologize! I really do!

But now we really know what the plot is coming down to, si (yes in Spanish .)?

Did you guys like? Please leave many reviews!

Just for a request, if you like this story, can you send it to friends that you think will like it too? I have a feeling this is going to be my best story yet. Sorry it's a little slow moving though…

And you know what? I kept everyone in character! Sango might have seemed out of character for her, but that's because she was going on her period. ALL girls act out of character when they're getting their periods . I know I do… (and that was too much information!)

Anywho…

Please review and I'm going to go and study for the rest of my finals! TA-TAH!

Luv,

RayJay

(The next update should be in a couple of weeks. Thank you for those of you who have waited FOREVER! Here's a hug to each of you!)

:: HUG! HUG!::


	8. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven:**

The menacing demon floated vicariously above the barrier that he had created, his smoldering iron orbs scrutinizing his prey below him. His eyes narrowed into slits when they fixed upon the target of his desire: the fertile human woman that was being held in a crushing embrace by the Inuyoukai. His full mouth curved at one end in an evil smirk as he began to descend in the air, lowering closer and closer to the ground. As he fell gracefully, the winds began to pick up, his already tangled tresses spiraling into an even more unsightly mess. _I will have most of the jewel after this point_, Mareo thought proudly to himself, flexing every muscle in his bulked but sturdy body, his form blending in with the neutral surroundings of the forest.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The falling hail and the cruel laughter ceased abruptly causing the great and powerful Taiyoukai to glance skyward, his tawny eyes narrowing suspiciously. Sango's head was still resting upon his chest and he found himself wanting to pull away from her grasp… but at the same time wished to pull her closer to his form. Sesshomaru's back stiffened when he sensed the presence of the barrier's creator closing in upon them, his hold on the tajiya loosening slowly. Releasing the two shivering humans, his head whirled in direction of the hinted presence, his keen ears and nose fighting to grasp and pick up anything that would give him more of a clue as to where and what, exactly, the youkai was. _Damn it all_, he grated inwardly. The beast was undoubtedly invisible.

Sango's chocolate brown orbs widened and her stomach churned, causing bile to rise into her throat. Her shoulders began to shudder from the great loss of warmth and from the frigidness in the air. "Sesshomaru… He's upon us…" She managed to choke out as she sank to her knees, her hair flying about her body wildly in the unkempt winds. _Kami-sama… Why is this youkai's aura affecting me so greatly?_ She thought with chattering teeth, feeling positively weak and nauseated. She held out her hand to the small girl that had been standing next to her only to see that she had collapsed onto her side and was unconscious, her breathing unsteady; her petite body was trembling in a feeble attempt to warm itself.

Ignoring Sango's debilitated statement, the Taiyoukai of the Western Lands shifted his attention fully away from the two humans that he had been protecting and geared his focus towards the mighty aura of the demon in question. _Ah Un and Jaken will take care of them_, he thought callously, his great mind only on his opponent and his growing lust to shed the creature's blood. _Show yourself you coward, or do you plan to cower in shadow all the day long_? He asked his adversary inwardly and was only too pleased to see a figure appear in the distance, just beyond the dark, glowing barrier that was raised around the village.

Chuckling deep within his throat, the youkai with monstrous intent stood, gauging the reaction of the Inuyoukai. _Do I penetrate my own barrier… or do I release it and allow him to come to me? Indeed this is a proposition_, he mused to himself, allowing the artificial wind that he had created to die down a bit. The constant whipping of his heavy, jet black locks was beginning to cause him a headache.

Sesshomaru clenched his fists together, effectively cracking all of his knuckles, his sharp talons nearly biting into the pale skin of his palms. Golden eyes were mesmerized by the approaching enemy, his muscles taut as he prepared himself to spring into action. He wished to anticipate what was going to happen but found that he was unable to read his opponent although his enhanced vision allowed him to see what the monster looked like. The youkai, who obviously was in his human form, stood at about Sesshomaru's height and had massive shoulders that were cloaked by a full head of tangled ebony locks. His olive colored skin was glowing dark pink in some places causing the Taiyoukai's eyes to grow hard in response. _He has several shards of the Shikon no Tama embedded within his flesh_, he scoffed inwardly, de-ranking his approaching disputant. The only reason the youkai appeared to be so powerful and was able to produce such a mind boggling aura was due to the shards of the jewel. It figured. _He probably has no power of his own and feels he needs to have all of the jewel for himself_, Sesshomaru surmised finally, glancing back surreptitiously at Sango, observing her as she tried to keep her composure although she was feeling physically ill due to her body's cycle and the maelstrom of aura surrounding her. Yes, the unknown demon was definitely going to try and steal the fragments of jewel from a delicate human if he was able. Raising an eyebrow, Sesshomaru continued to watch Sango as she was busied with the tasks of keeping warm and maintaining consciousness. Her normally lively dark brown eyes were sullen and exhausted; her skin was paling noticeably. She was brave, he had to accredit her with that, but she was wasting all of her energy trying to keep a hold of herself in such a fruitless manner. _Do all humans perform things the hard way?_ Sesshomaru scoffed inwardly, relaxing his stance.

"Sango," He called over his shoulder, above the dying wind while he began shedding his elegant and heavy haori. She gazed up at him, her dark eyes boring into his soul, a waft of her feminine fragrance drifting towards his nose and bombarding his senses. Sesshomaru felt warmth surge through his pelvic region, pulsing through his loins. His palms broke into a sweat and he found that he was holding his robe with a vice grip. He cursed the tajiya's pheromones and berated his body as it continued to reciprocate to her body's pubescent calling. Why was she so… enticing? She was a _human_ woman! Shaking his head after many thoughts of suggestive material cascaded through his befuddled mind, the Inuyoukai returned to the present. Where was his control disappearing to, he had to wonder mildly, his clamp on the haori tightening.

"What is it?" Sango answered back to him, a hand going towards her abdomen, her body swaying slightly. Swallowing, Sesshomaru realized that he had forgotten entirely what it was he had wanted to tell her. Instead, he tossed his trailing haori to her, finding amusement when it flopped on top of her, cloaking her body completely. The tajiya struggled for a moment but soon her face was in full view again and she flashed a grateful smile towards him, her cheeks rosy. Clearing his throat, he nodded to her and took a step forward towards the barrier and his approaching adversary.

"Be sure Rin does not stop breathing," he ordered, his full, baritone voice raised in anticipation of physical exercise and battle. Acknowledging his request with a nod, the tajiya pulled the small girl into her lap, cradling her small body to her aching breast. She draped the soft, thick robe about herself so that it would dually cloak Rin with its warmth, one hand stroking the child's cool face maternally. "Oh and Sango," he added, his tawny eyes raking over her form roguishly, his façade remaining stoic. "Do not succumb to this aura either," he finished before he strode away, leaving the tajiya with a flushed face and an unconscious child in her lap.

Sango's dark brown eyes followed him heatedly, her orbs lost in his tall and regal form as he strode further into the distance, his silken white mane tumbling gently in the wind. Kami-sama, when had he become so… so heroic? _I can definitely see how he and Inuyasha are related_, she thought to herself, smiling softly. _It must be the Inu in both of them. They seem to enjoy protecting others;_ she continued musing to herself, her breathing growing more and more constricted with each dragging inhale. Even the _air_ was becoming too thick for her to breathe! Sango began to cough, her lungs screaming for sufficient oxygen, her hair flushing out all about her as she fought to keep the haori securely around her body. A clenching in her lower belly began to make itself known and the tajiya doubled over in pain, releasing a muted cry. _Why am I so overwhelmed by this?_ She asked herself in frustration, minding Rin's unconscious form. _And just where the hell are Ah Un and Jaken?_ She grated again, her attention shifting to the area around her, her eyes widening when she made out the figures of Ah Un and Jaken in crumpled heaps upon the dusty ground. The two headed dragon and the warty toad had slipped into unconsciousness just like Rin had, it seemed.

"What is going on?" she ground out, feeling for the entire world like she was going to vomit. Her body began to sway but Sango refused to surrender to the feelings of dizziness. _I can't… I can't…_ she schooled herself, strengthening her resolve more as she kept repeating those words in her head. _Do this for Rin,_ she added on, her eyes falling to the slumbering child that was lying in her arms. Looking up, the tajiya saw Sesshomaru standing on the breach of the barrier, waiting, and she licked her lips thoughtfully. _Stay strong for him too,_ she added and then wondered why she had bothered to conjure a thought like that. Swallowing and sighing faintly, Sango accredited the feelings of warmth and enhanced attraction towards the Taiyoukai as being side effects of her feminine cycle and promptly squashed them down. _Remember that he is a dangerous, heartless youkai_, she told herself firmly, referencing her memory back to the countless amounts of information she had studied here, in this very village. She had hopes that these thoughts might help her to cease the way she was pining after Sesshomaru and longing for his safe return, but they did not help whatsoever.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Stand down, Inu," the dark haired youkai bellowed, allowing his winds to die down furthermore for dramatic emphasis. "I possess several shards of the Shikon no Tama and am apt to destroy you without so much as breaking a sweat," he added, his deep and haughty tone causing Sesshomaru's arm to tense in irritation.

Narrowed tawny eyes scrutinized their foe, watching keenly for any sudden movement, the barrier still preventing any direct contact with the youkai. Letting out an amused and condescending sound, Sesshomaru's mouth curved up in an equally confident smile and his hand slid carefully to the hilt of his Toukijin. "You depend so heavily on your jewel shards but they will lead to your downfall, I assure you," he called to his enemy. "This Sesshomaru is going to cleave them out of you," he added, drawing the mighty Toukijin from its sheath.

"Very well," was the supercilious reply and the facade that had been posed before Sesshomaru dissipated instantly, a puff of air breezing past the two opponents. The Inuyoukai took flight, his sword pointed in the direction of his assailant, his body poised and his muscles tensed but he quickly was thrown backwards by one wave of his callous adversary's arm. Skidding across the ground, Sesshomaru delved the blade of his sword into the ground, leaping back to his feet with great agility that only powerful demons like himself possessed, ready to lunge again at the creature before him.

Sesshomaru wondered idly at how he had been knocked so cleanly off his feet but began to regain his bearings. _The youkai is manipulating luck and the jewel shards_, he assured himself, knowing that his mysterious enemy was not nearly as strong as he was without his powerful appendages. Sesshomaru trained often and was well inversed in combat and all of the strategic bounds that came with such knowledge.

_Please, come at me again_, Mareo thought eagerly, the rush and energy the shards of the Shikon no Tama were supplying him with raising his pulse and loosening his well defined body. His smoldering iron eyes commenced in beckoning to Sesshomaru and he raised one clawed hand, motioning for the Taiyoukai to strike at him again. "I implore you. Come and rob me of the sacred jewel pieces that are embedded in my flesh," he taunted menacingly, his rich voice causing the hair on the Inuyoukai's neck to stand on end from anger and agitation.

"Your arrogance is going to be your end," Sesshomaru rumbled behind his elongated fangs, his voice revealing the irritation that he was harboring as he lounged forth towards his adversary, his left arm extending. A green poisonous mist materialized at the tips of his well tapered talons and he prepared to delve them into the youkai, keeping a close watch on him. A blood thirsty grin lit the Taiyoukai's lips when his foe pulled out of the way at the last possible second. _Perfect,_ Sesshomaru thought, finding the opportune moment, drawing up his sword and then fired a thick red blast from the Toukijin with precision. Time seemed to slow after that moment, each passing instant feeling like an eternity.

The Taiyoukai was pleased with his accuracy, though he kept his features intense and cruel. His launched attack went careening towards his assailant, threatening to remove his shoulder where two jewel shards were lodged beneath his skin. Sesshomaru was not expecting however, to find himself soaring backwards in the air a moment later, a hot, unbearable pain slicing through his own shoulder. His large body slammed into the ground, shards of rock and slate grinding across the place on his upper body where his right shoulder should have been. Letting out a grunt of disbelief, Sesshomaru's eyes widened immeasurably when the shoulder that had been severed off flew past him and skidded across the ground, inches away from him…

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Kami-sama!" Sango gasped aloud, her heart seizing within her chest at the downfall of the powerful Taiyoukai of the Western Lands. She swallowed and managed to rise to her feet, clutching Rin closer to her body in a protective gesture. _What can I do?_ She thought anxiously. _I cannot possibly try to save him on my own but—_she continued to drawl on, her body trembling, her chocolate brown orbs glazing over in painful memory.

"_Sango! Do as I say!"_ _Miroku roared with a hoarse voice, shoving her backwards with his staff, his violet eyes flashing with righteous indignation. Shaking her head fiercely, the tajiya used her hiraikotsu to push back against the houshi's staff, her strength winning out in the end for his body had been weakened to a greater extent by the poison their foe had emitted._

"_I will not!" Sango screeched in return as she defiantly flung her oversized boomerang toward the approaching beast, one of the sharpened ends splicing into one of its great, bulbous eyes. Blood spattered everywhere, coating both Sango and Miroku with greenish red filth causing them to loose their footing a bit. A flash of red zipped passed the two of them, bounding off of a nearby tree agilely._

"_Kagome! Can you hit her?" Inuyasha called back to the pretty young woman on his back, his main concern now on keeping his balance as he leapt from tree to tree in an attempt to give her a wide range for her bow and arrow._

"_Yeah, I think so," she replied, her sweet voice filled with a quiet confidence as she drew a bow from her pack and set it in her quiver. The tip of the arrow began to glow a light pink as it radiated with the miko's purity and power. "Hit the mark," she whispered out of old habit and her forehead furrowed in deep concentration. With a grace that had come from a few years of practice and the experience she had gained while traveling with Inuyasha, Kagome released the arrow, all members in her traveling party watching the pink streak intensely. All of them blew out breathes they were unaware that they had been holding when the appendage gored into the belly of the monstrous dragon-like youkai, causing it to double over in agony._

_The creature scratched mercilessly at her scaly abdomen in futile attempts to get the arrow out of her midsection but to no avail. Inuyasha let out a cocky laugh and squeezed his hold on Kagome's legs in appreciation. "You think you've got a couple more left in you?" he asked her, his voice challenging her to the task. Smiling, the high school girl from the future pushed a skein of her raven colored hair behind her ear and let out a sound of amusement._

"_Let's do it!" she exclaimed and readied another arrow. Below the hanyou and human couple were the tajiya and the houshi who were having ample amounts of trouble conversing civilly with one another at the moment._

"_Inuyasha and Kagome will finish this up," Miroku barked towards the lovely but blood smattered Sango, his voice hoarse from the pain his body was experiencing. He clenched his teeth to stave off the feelings of weakness in his body, finding that it was becoming increasingly difficult to not collapse onto the ground and slip into the restful state of unconsciousness._

"_Houshi-sama, I am perfectly able to make my own decisions concerning battles," the furious tajiya snapped back, oblivious to how much Miroku was struggling in keeping himself erect. Sighing and raising a hand to cover one of her own smaller wounds, she let out a sound of exasperation at him and went to retrieve her hiraikotsu. "Kirara!" she called out, leaping onto her large neko's back when she drew close enough and sailed into the air to aid Kagome and Inuyasha in their finishing attacks on the dragon youkai._

_Miroku watched Sango's lithe form longingly and he realized that his breathing had finally returned to normal. The effects of the poison hadn't been as detrimental as he had assumed they would be and he drew in a dragging breath of air. _Damn it, Sango,_ he thought, watching intently as she aided the hanyou and the miko while they demolished the flesh of the massive dragon. A grin lit his lips as he continued to observe her in action, her form covered in slimy, filmy dragon's fluids; she looked ridiculous. _Must you be so heroic?_ He added, limping towards his friends as Inuyasha began to lower both himself and Kagome to the ground so she could retrieve the tainted shard of the Shikon no Tama that the beast had possessed._

_Kirara touched down onto the ground, reverting back to her compact form when Sango rubbed her gently behind the ears. Mewing and then leaping into the dirtied tajiya's arms, the fire neko yawned and then snuggled closer to her master's chest, trying to find the most comfortable position._

"_Well," Inuyasha exhaled, locking his hands together as he stretched his arms overhead, cracking his shoulders and his back soundly. "I'm glad that's over with," he continued, letting his strong, lean arms drop to his sides, one hand going to his neck where he began to scratch absently. "That one was kind of a nuisance," he mumbled absently, his amber eyes roaming over to where Kagome was bending over to pick up the jewel piece. His cheeks glowed red when he caught a flash of what lay beneath the young woman's too short green skirt and he averted his eyes for lack of anything else to do._

_Miroku noticed the hanyou's discomfort and chuckled for he had been enjoying the exact same view. Inuyasha's head snapped around to look at the houshi suddenly, his dark brows lowered in embarrassment and annoyance. "What're you laughin' at?" he demanded, his face beet red. Wisely, Miroku shrugged, wincing slightly when he disturbed some very tender areas on his body and leaned on his staff for support. Shaking his head, the Inuhanyou expounded a breath and stomped over to where Kagome was, pausing to lean heavily against a nearby tree to clear his head._

_Bowing his head slightly, the dark haired young man found himself weaving where he stood, berating himself inwardly. _Blood loss,_ he thought and was roused from his thinking when he saw a pair of slim legs and a curvaceous waist that were encased beneath a skin-tight black suit come into his vision. He raised his eyes to see Sango's lovely face splotched in places with youkai blood, her eyes heavy and full of emotions that he could not possibly try to comprehend at that moment. The houshi felt his heart warm at the vulnerable sight of her but he kept his features neutral, merely flashing a brief smile when she paused before him, her rosebud lips opening to speak._

"_H-houshi-sama," she stuttered, her cheeks taking on a reddish hue, her hands stroking Kirara's fur quickly and nervously. _Oh Kami-sama, what do I say to him?_ The tajiya panicked mentally, her mouth and throat dry. Swallowing, the competent young woman strengthened her resolve and organized her thoughts, her eyes watching idly when Kirara leapt from her hold and scampered towards Kagome and Inuyasha._

"_Yes?" Miroku questioned her, his rich voice laced with the certainty that it always possessed, his violet eyes brimming with characteristic charm; Sango was unable to tell that his hands and brow had begun to perspire in response to her close proximity and from his own exhaustion._

_Wetting her lips anxiously, Sango felt like a fool as she stood before the egocentric, false houshi that asked all beautiful and shapely women to have his children. Closing her eyes and dragging in a deep breath, the tajiya pressed onward with her train of thought. "Houshi-sama, I appreciate your concern for me during battles, but I would like you to know that I am quite able to protect myself," she told him, her chocolate orbs locked onto his deep, vibrant violet ones. "Remember, I have held my own up to this point," she added, her voice trailing off when Miroku chuckled, two fingers reaching beneath his chin to stroke it lightly. Sango's heart fell and her body warmed with anger as she continued to listen to the young, lecherous monk laugh at her statement. _What an insensitive…_ what was the word Kagome often used when describing Inuyasha? Ohhhh yes. _What an insensitive JERK!

_Seeing how her shoulders tensed up the moment Miroku began to express his amusement verbally, the houshi composed himself and took a staggering step towards the furious tajiya. Carefully, he stretched the hand that had been healed of the kazanaa out to touch her shoulder affectionately, one of his eyebrows lifted in surprise when he felt the tightness in her stance. "Well now, I've made you truly angry, haven't I?" the houshi asked, knowing full well what the answer to that question was. Sighing, the young man adjusted his standing position before he continued to speak. "Don't be so upset with me, Sango. I am well aware of how powerful you are; you are the most powerful tajiya that I have had the pleasure of knowing," he explained, his voice soft and malleable. With each word, the mussed young woman's posture relaxed, her features lightening a great deal. Miroku paused meaningfully as he racked his brains, wanting to avoid what he was going to say next, simply longing to take the easy way out and reach for her supple backside and squeeze hard. He had never been an expert with the sincerity of his feelings and found himself slightly… afraid to go forward and risk Sango's rejection of him if he was too honest about the way he felt concerning her._

"… _Was there more you wanted to say to me?" The tajiya questioned him mildly, bringing him from his reverie; his chest tightened when he noticed how eager she was to hear the rest of what he was struggling to say. Miroku continued to do inward battle with himself before he came to a resolve, one that he knew he was going to regret later._

Coward_, a voice in the back of his head sneered as Miroku closed the distance between the lovely young tajiya and himself, his eyelids lowering seductively. Sango gasped, her face flushing immediately when one of the houshi's strong uninjured arms swept her against his lean, toned form that was cloaked in swathing robes. _

"_What on earth are you—" she breathed in disbelief, her eyes widening immensely when the monk winked at her dangerously, his mouth turning up in a crooked, lecherous way._

"_Sango, will you bear my children? I feel that you are worthy of carrying on my strong, noble and wise morale and will create excellent babies that display these traits," he told her, his voice cocksure beyond all belief and Sango found her hand raising to slap his cheek soundly before she even thought to do so._

"_Unhand me, you pig!" she roared, her chocolate brown orbs flashing dangerously. Disregarding the fact that he had numerous flesh wounds, the tajiya shoved him away forcefully and dashed towards where her hiraikotsu was lying unceremoniously on the ground—_

_Inuyasha whirled suddenly, his amber eyes wide. "We've got company!" he shouted suddenly, yanking the Tetsusaiga from it's hilt and Kagome cried out in alarm when she saw a colossal shadow cloak over where Miroku was leaning against his staff. Although she was still prudently vexed with the houshi, Sango reacted instantly and reached for her large boomerang but was nearly knocked off of her feet when an even larger dragon youkai than the one that had just been defeated plummeted onto the ground, causing an earthquake when it landed. In the next moment, before Miroku could attempt an escape, the enormous, grotesque rogue scooped him into his chiasmic mouth, swallowing the young houshi whole._

"_MIROKU!" Sango screeched in disbelief, her voice raw with hurt and unkempt emotion as she instinctively drew back the hiraikotsu and sent it hurling towards the monstrous beast. To her dismay and the dismay of all others present, the weapon deflected off of the stony scales of the dragon youkai and clattered onto the ground. A low, rumbling laugh emitted from the fat, reptilian creature and it crouched onto its massive haunches, bulbous yellow eyes glancing all around the clearing in the forest._

"_You destroyed my mate," it grumbled, rattling the earth with its deep timbre of voice. "So I took something of yours!" it added ferociously and began to chuckle once again, infuriating Sango more and more with each passing snort and giggle._

"_You bastard! You'd better cough up Miroku," Inuyasha barked, leaping up onto the balls of his feet before he hurtled himself towards the grotesque looking male counterpart of the female demon that he and his group of friends had slain minutes before. His silvery white hair was billowing all about his body as he brought the Tetsusaiga down for a wind scar attack but was repelled backwards by the dragon youkai's rock hard outer shell. "Damn it all!" he cursed, flipping himself in the air, landing on his feet when he touched down on the ground._

"_Let me try!" Kagome called, firing one of her miko arrows towards the monster. Her high spirits fell when her arrow, pure as it was, couldn't even slice into the flesh of the creature. "Oh Kami-sama…. Oh Miroku!" she cried, tears welling in her eyes as the coldness of the truth set it. "I don't think we can save him!" she sobbed, her dark eyes searching for Sango, a gasp escaping her mouth when she saw the tajiya charging towards their adversary. "Sango! No! It'll kill you!"_

_Inuyasha was already far ahead of Kagome and obstructed Sango's path with his body, catching her in his arms, his hands gripping her shoulders. "Sango, you can't. We don't know how to beat him yet," he told her forcefully, his brusque voice underlying worry and strain. Stubbornly, the young woman attempted to fight the steely clutches of the hanyou but was unable to break free from him._

"_Let me go! I can save him! Let me GO!" she screamed, her voice chapped and hoarse. Streams of tears were gliding down her grimy cheeks, her breathing ragged and desperate as she tried to break away from Inuyasha. "Don't tell me I what I cannot do! I will not loose the chance to save another person that I love!" she shouted, pressing her lips firmly together after those meaningful words escaped her lips. Inuyasha's amber eyes widened at her outburst, his fluffy dog ears twitching acutely before he bound out of the way, holding Sango securely in his grasp when the dragon's tail came from behind him to swipe them into the nearby trees._

"_So you do love him," the Inu hanyou muttered, landing softly beside Kagome who was drying her eyes and gathering more arrows that she could fire in her quiver. Sango nodded mutely, the tears unending. Sighing, Inuyasha released his hold on her and shook his head, his eyes rueful. "You're going to have to start getting over him," he told her softly, his voice cool but the tajiya could tell that he was trying to comfort her in his own awkward way. Kagome watched the exchange softly and sniffled, her own heart breaking at the statement the silvery haired half demon had supplied their dear friend Sango, and took a few steps closer to them._

"_Come," Sango managed to choke out through all of the pain she was feeling in her racing heart. "We must find a way to kill this thing," she finished, hoping she appeared strong in such a time of weakness. "We must do this for Miroku," she added bitterly, a fresh wave of tears raining down from her chocolate brown eyes. As soon as those words passed her lips, the group of three found their attentions distracted by the oversized and overly armored dragon youkai's body, their eyes widening and their jaws dropping in awe. The belly of the beast was radiating from within with white mystical light, a light that they were unable to identify as anything that they knew._

"_What the hell is going on in that thing?" Inuyasha mumbled, taking a few steps forward, his nose twitching and his ears flickering as he fought to find hints of anything that could answer his question. Kagome and Sango observed with equal curiosity, their dark eyes fixated upon the monster. "What—" the hanyou began again, his voice laced to high heaven with confusion and irritation but he was silenced abruptly by the event that followed instantaneously._

_One moment, the dragon youkai was in full, towering form, its monstrous gastric cavity heaving up and down in discomfort, his fangs bared fully as he growled out noises of displeasure. The next, he was being ruptured from the inside, the glowing white light that the hanyou, the miko and the tajiya had seen from the surface blinding them as blood and other dragon youkai fluids squirted in all directions._

"_Damn!" Inuyasha roared, pouncing onto the two young human women, cloaking them protectively with his body as shrapnel and guts rained down from the sky. He winced when a shard of metal scale permeated his arm but continued to cover both Sango and Kagome, his eyes closing as it continued to storm the creature's liquids and armor like skin._

_It was quiet in the clearing of the forest once the dragon's body had been completely destroyed and scattered. Glancing around stealthily, Inuyasha smelled the air, nearly gagging because the dragon youkai's decrepit flesh reeked of rotten dead things. Crawling to his feet slowly, the hanyou dusted off chunks of flesh and other pieces of things that had landed on his clothing and his silvery white mane, leaving Sango and Kagome, who were completely untouched by all of the grime. Sitting up slowly, the eyes of the young women wandered over the clearing and Sango rolled to her feet, standing unsteadily._

"_It had a shard buried deep in there," Kagome said up to her friend, her eyes mournful. She sighed when the tajiya didn't say a word and she returned her gaze to the spot where the enormous, armory scaled dragon youkai had been. "That's probably how he was able to have such tough scales that we weren't able to get past," she added softly, climbing to a standing position as well._

_Without a word, Sango took off in a run towards the remains of the dragon youkai and slowed to a halt when she came within a few feet of where a large puddle of greenish red colored ooze and hunks of dragon were lying, dropping to her knees. "H-houshi-sama…" she whispered sadly, feeling her eyes glaze over again. Not bothering to mask her misery in any way, the tajiya bawled like a child, causing Inuyasha to wince at the volume and her anguish._

"_Oh Sango…" Kagome stuttered, her own eyes welling up again as she went to comfort her friend but realized that she probably needed to retrieve the tainted jewel shard from out of the mess before the youkai could start regenerating itself. Sniffling, the dark haired young woman trekked carefully through the sticky, gooey mess and gasped when one of her legs was sucked into her upper shin when she stepped closer to the middle of the muck. "Gross!" she cried out as she tried to get away from the deeper part of the gore but tripped over something solid, falling face first into the blood. She began to squirm around in the wreckage, causing the Inu hanyou to think that something was attacking her from underneath the surface so he sprang into action._

"_Kagome!" Inuyasha exclaimed, at her side in a flash as he made attempts to yank her from the wholly disgusting mess. "Kami-sama Kagome, have you been eating too much again?" the hanyou grunted as he pulled the miko that was searching for something on all fours up from the botch, his eyes growing as large as watermelons when he saw what she had been trying to find. "Miroku!" he gasped, carefully but swiftly tossed both the dirtied, half dead priest and the young human woman onto dry ground. Hearing the familiar name, Sango was wrenched from her agonizing thoughts and sorrows, her face brightening when she saw what both Kagome and Inuyasha had discovered in the dragon youkai's remains._

_Gasping audibly, the tajiya jumped to her feet and raced to where the chassis of Miroku was lying and flopped down at his side. She instantly began to look him over, pressing her fingers to a point on his throat burned throat, her eyes brightening considerably. She looked to both Kagome and Inuyasha and with a smile said, "He's… he's alive and… and breathing!" she laughed softly in relief and started to turn the young man over, her momentary joy dissipating when she saw the condition of the top side of his body._

"_Oh damn," Inuyasha breathed, kneeling down onto one knee as his calculating amber eyes assessed the damage that had been done to Miroku's body. Thinking quickly, Kagome ran over to where her tattered yellow back pack was stationed and yanked out the first aid kit. Returning with it, she flipped open the lid and began to search around for anything that could be used on the welts, acid burns and charred sections of the young houshi's torso due to the corroding stomach acid of the demon._

"_Kagome, give me something to heal him with," Sango demanded, her voice uncharacteristically strained and full of temperance. The young woman from the future struggled as she searched through her kit, pulling out ace bandages, creams and peroxide but was unable to find anything that would be a definite solution for his ailments. "Kagome!" the tajiya snapped impatiently, her hands trembling. Inuyasha moved protectively towards the miko, a low growl leaving his lips._

"_Now you just wait a minute—"he began to snarl back but Kagome placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and the hanyou relaxed minutely._

"_It's all right," she told him reassuringly knowing that the tajiya was only acting this way because she was worried and upset. She couldn't help but be a little bit hurt by the tone that Sango was using with her though as she began to dab Miroku's scorched chest with the peroxide in hopes to clean out the toxins that had been in the stomach acid of the dragon youkai…_

To her surprise, Sango found herself being startled from her thoughts when she felt Rin stirring in her arms. She raised a shaking hand to wipe her eyes that had brimmed with tears and stared ahead into the distance where Sesshomaru was lying in a wounded heap, her heart clenching at the sight. She couldn't deal with this: not again. She was so tired of seeing the hurt faces of those around her whenever death came in to steal away a soul that was loved. Her eyes flitted briefly to the shifting child in her arms and she knew what she had to do to protect her from such grief. Jogging as fast as her legs could go in such a hateful demonic aura, Sango placed Rin securely in the nook of one of Ah Un's legs and cloaked her with the Taiyoukai's elegant and warm haori, her body rigid with resolve.

"_Sango... Even though he's alive right now… How long do you think he'll stay that way?"_ She heard Inuyasha's voice echoing in her head as she rushed into the hut where her hiraikotsu was hanging and pulled it from its nail on the wall. She passed the unconscious Kirara, no coherent, sensible thoughts going through her head at all.

"_Sango… This is not your fault, I won't let you think that it's your fault_," Kagome's sweet voice rang out from her memory and she felt her eyes welling up with tears once more as she stormed towards the monstrous beast that had de-shouldered the powerful and proud Taiyoukai of the Western Lands. She wasn't thinking about how the youkai was probably going to slaughter her without even trying. She hadn't taken into account any possibility that he might have had multiple fragments of the sacred jewel within his body. She hadn't even stopped to ponder the fact that she was, indeed, carrying just what the youkai wanted from her and that's why he had created such a massive barrier to keep her fenced inside. Instead, she marched onwards towards an impending fight, the soreness in the tajiya's muscles and her strength of will fueling her ire.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Both the heads of Mareo and Sesshomaru whipped in the direction of the approaching tajiya when her fertile scent drifted into both of their acute noses. The Taiyoukai gritted his teeth and attempted to stand, furious that the human was _daring_ to interfere with his battle. His legs felt like rice noodles though and he found that he was unable to stand securely on his feet, his abdomen pulsing. He was breathing raggedly and his forehead began to perspire uncharacteristically in copious amounts; he pinched his eyes closed and again made a movement to stand, but was unable to. _Damn_, he growled internally for it seemed that all of the energy had been zapped out of him.

"You have brought reinforcements?" The powerful and majestic Mareo laughed sardonically, amusement racking his large form. "She will die instantly and then I am going to have what I have come for," he snarled maliciously down at the disabled Sesshomaru, spitting into the pale skinned youkai's fine featured visage. The prideful Inuyoukai tensed and growled, bearing his fangs, his usually emotionless golden eyes flashing a dangerous crimson.

Sesshomaru wanted blood, _his _blood at that moment. He wanted to feel the warm, thick liquid upon his claws; he longed to shred the youkai's flesh into a million string-like pieces. He began to allow himself to transform into his true form, his vision bleeding scarlet, but was stopped when the Tenseiga began to rumble in its gentle way against his thigh. His eyes dropped to where the thin sword was positioned and his eyes faded back to their normal honeyed hue. _So you decide to come to life now, as I am ready to take real action_, he said down to the sword mentally, his patience running very, very thin.

"Youkai!" shouted an intense feminine voice from behind him and Sesshomaru ground his fangs together angrily. Mareo's lips curved upwards in a slow, sarcastic smile and he stepped around the befuddled and wounded Taiyoukai, infuriating him furthermore.

Sango felt adrenaline seething through her veins, her heart rate elevating considerably as the beautiful creature that had maimed the great Sesshomaru with ease drew closer to her. She gulped, keeping her dark eyes hard and impassive. He was not going to play head games with her, nor was she going to allow him to intimidate her anymore than a lone, weak youkai would. _Just think that he is like a petty, mindless youkai_, she kept repeating inwardly, feel slightly more comfortable with the situation that she had unceremoniously thrown herself into without contemplating the details. The tajiya felt her abdomen cramp with uneasiness but she shoved back the discomfort, arching her back so she could hold her shoulders higher to appear more confident than she was feeling at the moment. _Kami-sama, he is beautiful yet so dangerous_, she thought to herself, finding that she was able to use that thought to allude to another individual that was on the very same battlefield…

"So you too, are collecting fragments of the Shikon no Tama," the towering but wickedly handsome youkai asked the tajiya, his full, abysmal voice sending chills down her spine. He lazily, if not haughtily, reached up one of his arms and began to tangle his claws in a knotted section of his jet-black locks, his heated iron colored eyes never leaving hers. Sango glanced down uncomfortably to Sesshomaru, who she noticed was glaring at her with hatred and disdain; she tightened her grip on her hiraikotsu, hardening her normally soft human features furthermore.

"I am," she answered the demon, her voice cool and hard as a stone, just as she needed it to be. She was unable to mask the fear that flitted across her visage when Mareo materialized in front of her before she even could register his movement, snatching her into a rough embrace that she couldn't escape from. His sudden maneuver had caused her to lose hold of her dearest weapon and it toppled onto the ground, completely out of her reach. Struggling in vain, the tajiya began a rage of kicking when the torturous youkai began to glide his massive hands roughly over the curves of her menstruating body, chuckling snidely as she kept trying to break free from his hold.

"Oh here they are…" Mareo whispered, his tone degrading and omniscient, his hand drawing forth a pouch that Sango had strapped securely to the back of her calf. "But I feel like you have more than what is hidden here," he added, slithering a hand that ended in jagged, biting talons up the curve of her torso, pausing before he sliced the tie that was holding her kimono shut.

Having had his fill of observing such an infuriating and disgusting exchange, Sesshomaru gathered up all of his strength and took a deep breath, discovering that he was able to move finally, but he was limited. _What has this youkai managed to do to me?_ He grated restlessly, ignoring the blighting despondency in the area where his shoulder had been severed off. Furrowing his delicate brow, the Taiyoukai of the Western Lands found himself slightly grateful for Sango's presence; she was just the distraction he needed to catch the cocky youkai that was his adversary, off guard. If her jewel shards weren't enough to capture the arrogant creature's attention, then her ovulating scent would surely do the trick.

"No!" Sango cried, pointlessly trying to protect the last jewel shard that she was harboring but the malicious demon seized both of her arms and held them forcefully above her head. "You… you lecher! You _pig_!" she growled, feeling like a fool because she could not come up with anything better to call the beast that was molesting her, her animosity increasing tenfold when he merely laughed at her in response. "Get your hands off of ME!" she screamed, hoping to damage his fragile demonic hearing but the enormous hands that were binding her arms tightened painfully. _Perhaps I should aim to attack his manhood_, Sango thought quickly, knowing that it had worked for her when she had tried it on Sesshomaru. Drawing back her knee, the tajiya swung her limb forward to the best of her ability, hoping to lodge it into the precious genitalia of Mareo.

Heated iron orbs met flaming chocolate ones as Mareo swiftly anticipated her desperate feat of action, gathering both of her arms into one of his large hands, his unoccupied one sliding open her kimono, exposing her peach colored flesh to the cool air. His breathing sped up a bit as he drank in the view of her supple curves… It had been too long since he had had a female… He had no trouble clamping off his sudden surge of lust due to the fact that Sango began to scream obnoxiously again, his ears ringing in aftershock. Gritting his fangs together, the imposing youkai dragged the ovulating human woman against his rock solid figure that seared her with its heat, his dark, thick brows lowering over his smoldering orange-red eyes. "You try to de-man me and then you try to force deafness upon me?" he snarled in agitation, no longer amused by her antics and her attempts to break free from his hold. "Human, if you are not careful, I will impregnate you with a beast so powerful that it will kill you the instant you give birth to it," his large hand fisting in her hair, wringing a painful sound from the young woman, her eyes closing against the sharp pangs in her scalp. "Or, if you like, I can rape you and then slaughter you, it is your choice," he finished, releasing the hand that had been tugging roughly on her lustrous raven hair, sliding it into the open folds of the tajiya's kimono, the warm palm of his hand gliding over her smooth skin as he idly searched for the jewel shard, knowing its location already.

_Disgusting_, Sango seethed internally, tensing any muscle that he began to touch, her stomach beginning to ache with anxiety. "Stop this," she snapped, her back arching when his hand cupped a very tender, sensitive part of her flesh and began to stroke it. Heat seared through her middle and her forehead began to shine with a faint sheen of sweat; although the touch was unwanted, what he was doing… felt unlike anything she had ever experienced before…

Why did the youkai have to be binding both of her hands? She would have easily been able to pull one of her daggers on him to stop this insidious and wrong form of arousing torture but as she had come to learn these last few weeks, Kami-sama was not looking upon her with kind eyes. Nervously, her hot chocolate colored eyes flashed to where Sesshomaru had been lying on the ground, without a shoulder, her stomach flipping when she noticed that he was no longer stationed there. Swallowing and emitting a short gasp when the domineering youkai traced a claw down the curve of her flat stomach, applying just a bit too much pressure. "Just take the jewel fragment and cease molesting me!" Sango burst out, grunting when Mareo crushed her against his rock hard torso, his claws shredding her kimono into bits in response to her shout.

"Do not rush me," he fired at her, forcing his large, cruel mouth upon her soft one, battling with her as she struggled to breathe and to break away from his kiss. He chuckled against her lips, his breath hot and uncomfortable. Sango mewled and tried to rock her body away from Mareo's hold, not enjoying the clear power that he was using to dominate her. Where was Sesshomaru, she wondered, gasping when the malicious and spiteful creature drew away from her mouth and began to nip with great intensity at the tender skin on her neck.

"Ah, you are hurting me, "she groaned, her eyes clamping closed against the unwanted touch of Mareo. He merely laughed in response, his tongue slithering out from between his lips to slide over the peach colored skin of her exposed shoulder. "Leave me!" she shouted but her words did nothing. The demon was far too powerful and she knew that she should just give up—

"Aaaaaah!" Mareo hissed suddenly in pain, his talons digging into the tajiya's arms that he was holding captive. He yanked his head from where it was positioned on the ovulating human woman's throat, his eyes narrowing into slits of anger. Blood began to trickle from the left side of his neck, dripping onto the armor of his left shoulder before the armor fell into two halves and clattered onto the ground. The potent youkai's head spun in the direction from which he had been assaulted and beheld Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru's breathing was slightly haggard as he kept his strength about him; two fingers were held before him and was glowing a sickly green. Mareo's lips flipped up in a smirk as he raised his free hand to wipe at the slice that the Taiyoukai had made in his neck, his tongue lapping up the thick, red liquid.

"Congratulations, you caught me off of my guard and have struck me," the greedy and malicious demon called over to the injured regal dog, his basso voice laced with sarcasm and amusement. His fiery red eyes glanced between the disheveled Inuyoukai and the tajiya, and he made a small connection. A dark eyebrow arched slowly and slyly. "Does it anger you that I am giving attention to this ningen?" he asked, laughter rich in his voice as he pulled the menstruating female closer to his rock hard body. Detesting the closer proximity that she now had with the monster, Sango feebly tried to push herself away from his muscular form, his body heat searing her with its intensity.

Sesshomaru was disgusted by the demon's open display of forced affection and was also infuriated from within that he had his hands upon the strong willed human woman. "Say what you will, what you do with that human does not concern this Sesshomaru," the lord of the Western Lands ground out, keeping both his face and his baritone voice free of any emotion. _Let him touch her_, Sesshomaru seethed inwardly, trying to convince himself that the soft, human woman whose dark eyes were calling for help meant absolutely nothing to him. _She is just a human_, he made final is his mind but still found himself growing angrier and more territorial by the moment as the disgusting creature raked his filthy hand over the tajiya's lithe form.

Sango felt her heart sink in her chest at the dog demon's words and she swallowed against her throat that was tightening painfully. Why had what Sesshomaru said bothered her? She exhaled softly and accredited her feelings to her feminine cycle. Yes, that had to be it. Mareo looked between the Taiyoukai of the Western Lands and the woman that he had in a fast embrace and tightened his hold on her.

"Very well then. It seems that it will make no difference to you if I slay this lovely ningen and make off with the jewel shard," the versatile youkai stated, his rumbling voice oozing nonchalance. The human woman felt her eyes filling with moisture, a million thoughts rummaging through her head; she still had so much unfinished business that she needed to attend to, she couldn't die now! _Is Sesshomaru honestly going to let me die like this?_ She asked herself, her stomach dropping to her knees as the mighty youkai fixed rippling iron orbs upon her. As Mareo's free hand rose up, talons bared, to descend upon Sango's neck and sever her jugular vein, a shrill cry sounded from the distance. In an instant, all heads had turned towards the sound.

Sesshomaru sighed inwardly, his chest tightening, knowing right away who had let forth such an outburst. He looked towards a panting Sango (who was greatly relieved that her neck had not been removed from her aching shoulders) and found himself at a loss of coherent thought when he saw the expression on the powerful and spiteful youkai's façade. Noting the Inuyoukai's change in demeanor, the tajiya tilted her head up to behold the almost soft, emotional expression upon the dangerous creature's visage.

_What?_ She wondered inwardly, her brow furrowing when Mareo's eyes began to sheen over with what looked to be tears and other feelings and thoughts that she couldn't even begin to determine or try to decipher. His lips that had been fixed in a cruel and loathsome sneer were now pliant and hanging open slightly, as if in awe. The hateful aura that had been so thick in the area began to lessen, little by little as the demon of its source continued to stare out at the little human girl that had struggled to get to her feet and had wandered from the two headed beast that was still lying motionless on the ground.

Seeing his window of opportunity, Sesshomaru unleashed the Toukijin and was ready to lash the monster a good one but he was not fast enough to catch Mareo out of sorts this time. He sensed the Taiyoukai's maneuver, tore the pouch which was housing the lone shard of the Shikon no tama that Sango was keeping beside her right breast, and flung the tajiya unceremoniously towards his adversary. Sesshomaru barely managed to catch the woman in his arms, reacting on only pure instinct, and released a roar of hostility when Mareo had flown in the blink of an eye across the field, materializing in front of Rin.

Gasping and nearly falling backwards, the young girl tried to escape, screaming bloody murder when the imposing but handsome figure snatched her up into his clutches with ease. "Sesshomaru-saaaama! Sango-sama!" she wailed, fear imminent in her voice as she writhed in the arms of her assailant.

"Rin!" The Taiyoukai of the Western Lands bellowed, lunging after Mareo when he took flight into the air, torpidly dropping Sango on the ground. His eyes were beginning to bleed scarlet and the Tenseiga was giving seizures against his thigh but he ignored them as he soared into the atmosphere. _No Tenseiga, not this time_, he thought, all rational thought leaving his mind as he allowed his body to undergo the transformation to his intimidating, true form. The jewel shard injected demon had done far more than simply insult him this day and Sesshomaru was going to see that his legacy was put to an end. "You shall not run from this Sesshomaru, youkai!" he spat, his baritone voice raw and completely foreign even to his own sensitive ears.

Mareo burst into maniacal laughter, his body beginning to glow an odious and tainted violet. Skeins of Sesshomaru's pure white mane whipped into his face as the change to his true demon form began to take place, his body widening and growing exponentially by the moment.

Horrified at how furious and wound up her master was, Rin shuddered in the terrifying youkai's arms, her large dark brown eyes fixed upon Sesshomaru. "Sesshomaru-sama!" she called, her eyes leaking tears. The Lord of the Western Lands was her savior; he was going to do what it took to rescue her. Mareo's hold tightened on Rin's slender little body and she emitted a high pitched gasp of alarm in response.

"Hold tight little one. Move and you will be destroyed as your master will be," the creature hissed forcefully into her ear and the little girl froze. He… He was going to kill Sesshomaru-sama? But how was that possible? Sesshomaru-sama was the most powerful youkai in the world-- Rin's train of thought was interrupted when the demon that was holding her began to glow an odious and deep violet. Her stomach lurched and she vomited, reacting to the aura of power that was forming a maelstrom around her and its controller.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sango got to her feet lithely, her body feeling sore and ragged, her eyes darting around the sky for hints of either demon but she could see nothing. She cursed her human eyes and tried to figure out what she could do to help Sesshomaru in this situation. Pushing a mass of her wind blown hair out of her face, she spun on her heel so that she was facing the huts where her fire cat had fallen into unconsciousness. "Kirara!" She called, hoping that her neko had woken up but there was no response. The tajiya's breathing began to grow labored again and her body seemed to be dragging towards the shredded ground. "Kami-sama… The aura is worse than before…" she winced, her breasts and back aching while she pulled her tattered kimono about her form as her body shivered in response to the awful demonic power. "Oh Kami-sama, please protect Rin," she prayed under her breath as she raggedly began to venture towards the huts in search of her feline, feeling absolutely helpless. Thoughts of the heroic Inuyoukai flooded her mind as well and she felt her chest tighten in regards to them. _And protect him too_, was the last thought on her mind when she caught sight of Kirara…

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Sesshomaru-sama! Run away!" Rin forced out, her stomach turning again. "This demon… is making me si—" she tried to manage but fell limp over the forearm of Mareo due to the draining aura and cyclone of power that the youkai had created around himself.

Sesshomaru's transformation was now complete and he floated in all of his massive white glory before his imposing adversary who was glowing dark purple. There was only one thing on his mind: bloodshed and murder. He was going to rip that monster to shreds and feast upon his entrails; his flesh was going to feel like silk between his mighty claws, the spurting of his blood like a pleasant shower. Yes… he could almost taste the basic liquid now… Or he would have… had the youkai not possessed multiple jewel shards…

The Taiyoukai of the Western Lands had no idea what had struck him when he was aggressed by blasts so powerful that he was unsure if he was alive or dead as he careened towards the ground. He could feel his own hot blood splashing onto his face, his stomach lurching at the acrid, irony smell. His body blazed with righteous and agonizing pain, the wind lodging chunks of airborne rocks and twigs into his wounds. He felt himself hazing in and out of reality, the cries of his charge fading into the distance as he continued to plummet towards the Earth. _Rin, I… I've failed her_, he thought, his large red eyes closing painfully at his realization.

Light enveloped his form as the Tenseiga began to hum soft, sweet words to him, protecting his life force as he held on by very little. He collided with the ground and slid about 50 feet before he rolled to a halt due to the momentum and speed by which he had fallen. Releasing an exhausted and defeated sound, the Taiyoukai of the Western Lands allowed his body to succumb to the darkness that had been threatening to take him over.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Hearing the crash, Sango ceased trying to wake Kirara and peered out from beside the hut, her tongue darting out to moisten her wind chapped lips. She was afraid that she was going to behold the sight of the beast that had tried to rape her but instead saw an enormous, blood stained dog with a chunk taken out of its shoulder. With wide eyes, the tajiya scurried around and gathered as many medical supplies as she could hold and sprinted out to where Sesshomaru was lying in a messy, burnt heap.

"Oh Kami-sama," she breathed, her heart in her throat as she watched the Inuyoukai's expansive upper body rise and fall in a labored motion while Sesshomaru fought to keep respiring although he was sustaining many chest injuries. Slowly though, his maimed body began to revert to the human form that she was more accustomed to seeing. She dropped to her knees and splayed the medications and bandages onto the ground so that she could have easier access to them. She glanced towards the unconscious Sesshomaru and her eyes and demeanor softened a great deal. He was such a beautiful creature, even when fatally wounded.

Long eyelashes caped his closed red-rimmed eyes. His cheeks, although spattered with dark, crusting blood were lined with the two beautiful magenta stripes that she had always found fascinating. She couldn't resist reaching out to caress the purple crescent moon that adorned his forehead between his tangled, silken bangs, marveling at how smooth his skin was. Her fingers traced a path down from his proud forehead to his ear where she stroked the pointed shell of it, admiring his handsome countenance as he lay motionless and unaware. Or so she thought…

"So… You think to groom this Sesshomaru… when he is gravely wounded… and when Rin… has been captured," the Taiyoukai choked out through cracked lips, his deep tones seeping anger and frustration. Sango pulled back, startled, her cheeks flushing red. How long had he been coherent??

"I… I…" Sango sputtered, unsure of how to defend her impulsive actions. The tajiya crawled backwards a bit but Sesshomaru's eyes shot open, revealing bloodshot tawny orbs that were clearly** not happy**.

"Keep your filthy human hands away from this one," he barked gruffly, half sitting up but his body forbade him to make any further movements. Groaning, half in agitation and half in pain, Sesshomaru lay, propping himself up awkwardly as he tried to configure his next plan of action. He sensed tension coming from the human woman that was sitting beside him and tightened his mouth in a proud, stubborn manner for he knew that she was going to chastise him in some way.

"You needn't snap at me," Sango told him firmly, her eyebrows lowering. "I don't think there was another thing that you could have done to save Rin. There was--"

"Silence," The Inuyoukai supplied callously in the strong willed human woman's direction, his tawny eyes flaming with malice. He did not want to be reminded that he hadn't managed to save the little girl nor did he want to hear anyone's words of reassurance. She was gone and he needed to find some way to retrieve her. He sat there for a bit, his body in total and utter discomfort, his mind lost in reverie as he sought a solution to the problem that had been unceremoniously placed before him. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice the expression that washed over Sango's smudged face as she observed his mannerisms.

_He… He's brooding just like Inuyasha_, she thought after having an epiphany, and reached for a tube of ointment that Kagome had given her months ago. She swallowed but kept her chocolate brown orbs upon Sesshomaru and discovered some other similarities between this dog demon and the one that she had grown to know very well over the last few years. _And he's in foul temper and is taking it out on those around him because he couldn't do what he wanted to_, she collected, biting her lower lip to keep from giggling. She wasn't having very much success.

Upon hearing the small snorts of amusement that the dark haired human woman was trying to hide and how she couldn't look at him, Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and he looked towards her. _What on Earth is she laughing about?_ He grated inwardly, filled with annoyance but curiosity at the same time. She was worse than Rin when it came to laughter and humorous things, it seemed. _This is the wrong time to be finding amusement._

_Oh…_ she continued to heave, making attempts to swallow her laughter. _Now he is looking at me, wanting to know what is so hilarious but does not want to go outside of himself and ask because he wants to seem like he doesn't care_! There were tears in her eyes at this point and she couldn't help herself anymore. She opened her mouth and voiced her mirth, her stomach aching. _Oh dear, where is Kagome-chan when you need her?_ Undoubtedly the bubbly girl from the future would be enjoying Sesshomaru's all too familiar mannerisms.

"You give this Sesshomaru a headache," the Taiyoukai finally ground out, his face unreadable but his eyes glinting. "What is it that you find so amusing?" He almost demanded and Sango started to guffaw, moving closer to him as she unscrewed the cap on the tube of ointment that she was holding. Tawny eyes went wide when the tajiya applied some of the ointment to an exceptionally large gash on his chest. "What is this trickery?" he scoffed, reaching a hand up to wipe off the medicine that had been applied to his deep abrasion.

"No, don't touch it," the human exclaimed and took Sesshomaru's large, well tapered hand in her own, her eyes growing bigger when she realized what she had done. She blushed modestly and released her hold on him, drawing back sheepishly. She cleared her throat and stated, "It is medicine and it is supposed to help your wounds heal faster," without looking at the demon before her.

Smelling and feeling the discomfort that was radiating from the tajiya, the Taiyoukai readjusted his position on the ground and put his eyes skyward. "My body doesn't need any aid in healing itself. Movement is already becoming easier," he informed her, his baritone voice back to the cool and stoic tones that Sango had grown used to hearing from him. Nodding and willing her face to return to its normal, apricot complexion, the woman that hunted demons smoothed a lone strand of her hair that had drifted over her shoulder idly.

"So when are we going after Rin?" the youthful woman asked, her sincere brown eyes catching Sesshomaru's bored tawny ones.

"We?" The Inuyoukai asked her, a dark elegant eyebrow arching sardonically. "There is no we. This Sesshomaru will go after her. I have no use for you or your neko on the battlefield," he told her point blank, his voice smooth and coaxing to her ears. Sango let out a sound of amusement and crossed her arms over her tender chest.

"Is that so? Very well then. It seems that you have forgotten who taught Rin to speak appropriately and who has taken very good care these last few days," She informed the haughty demon, daring him to contradict her. "I am going with you whether you would like me to or not. Rin has come to mean a very great deal to me," she finished, getting to her feet gently, staring down at him, her chocolate eyes hard. "Besides," she added, bending slightly so that she was near his ear. "It seems to me that Inuyoukai are better off in all aspects when they are with others. Or at least, that is what I have gathered from experience."

Sesshomaru knew instantly what Sango was implying and found himself offended to the core. "I am nothing like my half breed brat of a brother in those regards. You are gravely mistaken, tajiya," he barked at her defensively, his dark, fine eyebrows lowering over his clouding golden eyes. "This Sesshomaru needs no one," he finished, closing himself off to Sango by rolling over onto his side; there was still too much pain in his legs for him to stand and walk away from her.

Laughing softly, the tajiya stroked under her chin thoughtfully for a moment before she began to make her way over to the huts. "You might be able to fool yourself Sesshomaru, but you cannot fool me," she mumbled, glancing over her shoulder. She smiled softly when she saw one of his ears twitch; he had heard her loud and clear. _You need others more than you think_, she thought as she passed Ah Un and Jaken who were slowly awakening.

Sesshomaru leaned on his arm gently as he wrapped his mind around what she had said. Sango was troublesome. Breathing deeply, he was irritated when he caught a waft of her tantalizing fertile scent and clamped his eyes shut. Images of how she had writhed within the foul and powerful demon's grasp haunted him-- and suddenly Sango was no longer in the arms of the creature but in his, willingly submitting to his affections… The supple curves of her body called to him; she was moaning in ecstasy, pleading for more from him…

Gasping, his forehead now beaded with sweat, Sesshomaru wrenched his eyes open, his loins alive and ready to spring into action.

_No,_ the Taiyoukai thought, his resolve strengthened. _This must end. I must be rid of her_…

* * *

_Side note: If you are a little bit confused about some things concerning Mareo and such, fear not! It will be explained soon _

HI EVERYONE!

So yes… This story has been on a two year hiatus. I'm so sorry I honestly didn't remember where I was going with this story until not too long ago and now I finally have time to compose my ideas and put them onto paper! I'm also thinking I might have to change the rating of this story to a higher one. I haven't decided if I'm going to throw a true romantic scene in or not. It'll probably be lime if anything; I'm not really very big on writing lemons.

This chapter might be a little bit sandy and rocky because it's been so long since I've written fan fiction but hopefully you guys will still enjoy it anyway. If not, I'll edit it and make it better

Reviews and constructive criticisms are nice and are always welcome! I hope to complete this fic by September 2008, I really do. If I need to finish it after that time I'll tell you guys. :)

Things should be moving a little bit faster after this chapter. I'm kind of excited ! Yay! Okay. The next chapter should be up in a week or so.


	9. Chapter Eight

_Writer's Corner:_

Attention: I have officially decided that all romance in this story will be lime to anyone that was concerned. I want the audience that's a little bit younger to enjoy the story and for the romantics at heart to get their satisfaction. That way everyone wins! Yay! Okie doke. Now we take a little detour to our favorite hanyou and his woman. Maybe they'll finally be able to overcome their lapses in communication (haha). :D

* * *

**Chapter Eight:**

"AH! Would you quit that?!" yelped a certain stubborn but soft-hearted hanyou, his amber eyes blazing with agitation. Shippo had been fiddling with a new toy that Kagome had brought him from her time; the sounds it was emitting and the ball that was included with the contraption kept pounding into the curve of Inuyasha's lower back, tearing at the loose gate he kept on his patience. His shoulders were tensed, his jaw jutting out to one side and Kagome, who was seated across the room with an open text book on her lap, had to purse her lips together tightly to keep from voicing her amusement. These days Inuyasha just seemed to be so irresistibly adorable when he was losing his temper…

"Oh toughen up, Inuyasha," came the sassy, high pitched retort from the kitsune, who was grasping a paddle that had an elastic string with a red ball attached to it, his cobalt eyes just as fiery as his verbal combatant's. His gaze flitted briefly over to where the young woman from the future was stationed, taking in the sight of her shuddering form, noting that her hands were clasped over her face. "Kagome?" he called to her, his head tilting to the side in bewilderment. He wasn't sure if she was ill or if something else was wrong.

The silver haired hanyou's fluffy ears twitched atop his head before he craned his head in his young mate's direction, his dark eyebrows lowering over amber orbs that were beginning to cloud over in paranoia. She was laughing at _him_, he was sure of it. "Just what're you laughin' at?" he demanded in subtle, threatening tones which only caused the high school girl from the future to cave and erupt into a fit of giggles. Releasing a defeated growl, the Inuhanyou leapt onto the balls of his feet from his sitting position, his red haori sleeves trailing at his sides, before he exited the hut.

"Oh no," the miko chuckled, raising the back of her hand to her mouth to try and stifle her sounds of pure elation. She sighed and stretched her arms above her head, swallowing to rid herself of her lapse of silliness and shook her head. Shippo began to play with his paddle ball toy and met the young woman's soft brown eyes, shrugging minutely. "I guess he's just in one of those moods today," she explained to the young demon as she pushed her math text book off of her lap and stood up.

"Yeah, I know," the kitsune replied, pausing in mid paddle, turning his attention towards the door that Inuyasha had stormed out of in a huff. "And he calls me the child," he added in a voice that held a bit of a pout to it. Kagome merely smiled, bending down to ruffle the little demon's downy dark red hair.

"Mmm, I'm thinking he wants to talk to someone, even though he doesn't," the young human woman from modern Japan surmised, straightening a ruffle in her dark green pleated skirt as she approached the brown piece of cloth that was hanging unceremoniously in the doorway.

Shippo nodded in agreement to the slightly confusing paradox, watching as Kagome's slender form slipped out of the make shift door, leaving him in the hut alone. He plopped onto the floor, knowing that he needed to leave the pair to themselves if Inuyasha's mood was to get better. He felt a slight pang of jealousy; it seemed that Inuyasha was receiving more of Kagome's attention than he was as of late. _It's not fair_, the little fox thought ruefully. With Miroku gone and Sango and Kirara back at the village of the tajiya, Shippo had next to no one to really pay attention to him other than the newly mated pair who really only wanted to spend time alone together. He sighed and set the paddle ball on the ground beside him, his lovely blue eyes falling to his lap. "I'm a big kid," he whispered, mostly to convince himself. "I can take care of myself."

* * *

The light pitter pattering of feet could be heard coming down the path by two triangle shaped ears sitting atop a head of silvery white hair. Clearing his throat, Inuyasha adjusted his position in the tree that he had chosen as a safe haven, his amber eyes taking in the form of his bubbly mate as her long, exposed peach legs led her forward.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome called, her eyes scanning the branches of all the tall trees that surrounded her. A gust of wind rolled softly through the expanse of forest, sending the high school girl's raven hair afloat. She sighed when she spotted the form of her sulking hanyou, his vibrant red haori sticking out like a sore thumb among the calm, neutral surroundings of nature. A smile lit her lips and she delicately crossed her arms over her chest. "Hey there," she called up to the half demon, waiting for him to utter some sort of sound as a reply.

"What?" came the snappy retort which then caused the young miko to approach the tree that he was stationed in and grab its bark in places that seemed to be made for hands. Amber eyes scrutinized her as she awkwardly tried to make her way up the trunk. "Kagome, what are you doing?" he asked her, his voice holding a more mellow edge now as he craned his neck to look down his acute nose at her.

"Well," the young woman grunted, her arms shaking a bit as she tried to haul herself up the expanse of the tree, the pain in her biceps and triceps letting her know how out of shape her arms were. "Since you're content to pout up there, I thought I would give you some company," was the strained reply and Inuyasha snorted bemusedly.

Leaping down from his perch on the branch, the hanyou landed gracefully on the ground, his amber eyes disapproving of the slim, dark-haired girl's actions. He reached his hands up and gently pulled her away from climbing the trunk, drawing her closer to him.

"Inuyasha," Kagome murmured, her cheeks warming at his proximity when he encircled his arms around her waist and buried his face in her thick, fragrant hair. She giggled softly when his nose nuzzled the curve of her neck. "Feeling better, are we?" she asked him, her arms settling on top of his, her fingertips stroking the rough fire rat haori that he always wore.

"Hmm," was the non-reply that the high school girl received and Kagome sighed.

"You're always so stubborn about things like this," she breathed, frustration lacing her sweet voice as she pulled away from his backward embrace slowly, her dark brown eyes glinting with emotion. She half turned to face him and saw him looking goaded, his eyes closed off from her. "I just don't know why I have to pry everything out of you when you're bothered about things," she began lightly, hoping her honesty would at least soften up his brusque exterior a little bit.

"It doesn't matter. I've dealt with my problems and thoughts on my own long before I met you," Inuyasha mumbled in gruff honesty, knowing that he was starting to retreat inside himself as he usually did when he didn't want to talk about something. Guilt filled his chest as he observed Kagome, her guileless visage painted with genuine concern and a bit of hurt.

_I don't understand why he does this. I don't think I ever will_, the raven haired high school girl thought sadly, her stomach uneasy. _I'd never do anything to hurt him_, she added, her dark brown eyes faltering from Inuyasha to the trees behind him when she felt the all too familiar prick of tears in her eyes.

A dragging breath passed the Inuhanyou's lips when the air smelled of salt and he shifted his stance uncomfortably. The young pair stood in awkward silence, both of their heads filled with musings and thoughts that they did not want to give voice to.

"It's not a weakness to tell me what's going on in your head, you know," Kagome managed to get out, her voice thick as she tried to mask the sorrow that was clearly evident in her tones. "You _are_ half human. I think that entitles you to a couple of human comforts. One of them being the fact that you have feelings and are affected by them more than you'd like to be," she continued, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand in a casual way to disguise the tears that had started to escape from their dark depths.

"Damn it," the hanyou muttered, reaching out to take Kagome's hand away from her eyes, entangling his strong fingers that ended in tapered claws between her petite ones. He exhaled and drew his other hand up to wipe underneath the young woman's left eye, his mouth set into a firm line. "I always seem to make you cry or hurt your feelings," he told her, his voice defensive but filled with truthfulness. A ghost of a wistful smile flashed across his lips briefly before he uttered, "We only seem to get along really well when we're back in your time and I'm a human."

"You're not that bad," Kagome returned soothingly in hopes of comforting her mate, her cheeks warming under Inuyasha's tender touch. She closed her eyes and leaned into his warm hand, reveling in the feeling of it for he seldom went out of his way to comfort and caress her like this or offer her verbal sentiments. What he said though ebbed on the truth; moments like this usually made him edgy as a hanyou, therefore causing Kagome to wonder if he'd been very affectionate with Kikyo only to have had his heart smashed before she had come along…

"Oi!" The hanyou demanded, his hand sliding down her silken cheek to drop by his side. "I'm talkin' to you!" Kagome's eyes widened slightly and she realized that she had indeed noticed that his lips were in motion, but she had been so drowned in her own thoughts that she hadn't heard a word he'd said.

"Gomen, I was thinking," the lovely miko told Inuyasha in apology and met his clouding amber eyes with her lustrous ones. Huffing slightly in irritation, the Inuhanyou pulled her by the hand that he was still holding towards him against his chest, wrapping his other arm around her. "Inuya--" Kagome started to mumble but he shushed her, his powerful hand rubbing conciliatory circles along the small of her back. His method was effective; all coherent thought or worry left the young human woman's mind and her eyes closed blissfully.

"It's not easy for me… to talk about… things," The silver haired male began. It was conceivably obvious that he was mulling over his thoughts while he was explaining himself to his trusting mate. Kagome snuggled closer to his heated body, relaxing furthermore into his embrace. "But I'm trying harder… because… you are mine and I'm yours," he continued, his voice wavering slightly. "And you're all I have," he breathed finally, his eyes lowering to meet Kagome's, his throat tightening when he noticed more tears in her eyes. He swallowed hard, instinctively making the assumption that she was upset. Oh _damn _it! It hadn't been his intention to make her cry again!

The young human woman from the future was having a very hard time accepting the fact that Inuyasha, her stubborn, strong willed, thick headed, insensitive, overprotective mate had just let such sweet, honest words dribble from his mouth. Without another thought, she slid her hands up Inuyasha's firm, compact chest, and wrapped her arms around his neck; her dark eyes were full of desire and longing, rousing primal urges from within the hanyou. She dragged his head down so that his lips met hers, the contact of their mouths sending chills of passion down both of their spines. It had been, without a doubt, too long since they had last enjoyed each other's affections.

Inuyasha was drowning in Kagome's sweetness, her lips pliant and malleable beneath his own while they held a fervor that kept coaxing him to taste more of her. He groaned softly into the cave of her mouth, his tongue delving after the sound he had made to plunder the moist cavern. This action started a fire in the young woman's belly and she mewled softly, her hands fisting in the downy hair at the nape of the half demon's neck. The miko inadvertently arched into her strong and able mate's form, his heat and touch spiking jolts of pleasure through every inch of her slender body.

Inuyasha purposefully pulled away from Kagome's full, luscious mouth and commenced trailing small but moist kisses down the column of her delicate neck. She sighed shakily, her eyelids lax and closed as she basked in the physical attention and praise she was receiving from the one she loved. She gently slid her fingers through his fine, silver hair and trailed a hand up to the top of his head to fondle one of his ears. The hanyou stiffened at the contact and emitted a puppy-like growl, his lips coming away from her neck, his eyes wide and hot. He gulped and expounded a breath as he locked eyes with the high school girl that was his mate, his claws running idly through the ends of her lengthy raven hair.

"I-I don't think you should do that," he managed to choke out as she continued to tickle and stroke his ears. His clamped his eyes shut and grit his fangs as if he was in pain, but he was far from it. "Mmm… Kagome… You really shouldn't--"

"Why?" Kagome whispered teasingly, planting a little kiss on his full lower lip, moving her pelvis closer to his gently. Upon contact, her eyes grew as large as watermelons and she pulled away from him, her face beet red. "Ohhh!" she exclaimed, her voice shocked, her hands retreating from within his flawless mane. "I didn't realize—I uh…" she stammered, her hands clamping over her burning cheeks as she sought to mask her embarrassment.

"Uh… It's f-fine," Inuyasha stuttered, just as unsure and awkward as Kagome if not more so as he half turned his body away from her. The pair was panting from their ardor and from their embarrassment… but slowly, amber eyes met dark brown. A soft smile graced the miko's generous mouth and she giggled.

"We're just great at the physical side of being mates, aren't we Inuyasha?" she asked him playfully, reaching for his hand. Shaking his head and chuckling, the hanyou intertwined his fingers with Kagome's.

"Well, we'd be really good if we were actually aimin' to make kids," he answered her, his voice sardonic and his eyes laughing at her. "But," he continued, his thumb grazing over the high school girl's small knuckles, "I'm thinkin' your mom wouldn't be very happy about that right now…"

"No, no she wouldn't," Kagome laughed, her eyes watching Inuyasha intently. He was undeniably handsome when he smiled like that... _Mom would want us to get married and to settle down somewhere before kids are allowed to come into the picture_, she thought, her grin widening and almost reaching her ears as her mind entertained that scenario. She sighed and squeezed her mate's hand that so snuggly was encompassing her own before her visage took on a more solemn hue. "Hey, Inuyasha?"

"Yeah?" he asked her, his voice and respiring seeming to have calmed considerably. _Kami-sama, I'm so lucky_, he told himself, pride forming in his chest as his amber eyes probed every delicate, lovely feature and imperfection that made the young woman standing before him who she was.

"What made you react and storm off earlier? It couldn't have been just the paddle ball or me laughing at you," she pressed gently, her voice treading softly. "Those kinds of things happen all the time!" She added with a quirky smile which earned a snort of amusement from her companion. The hanyou withdrew his hand from hers slowly and he started to pace around a bit, his gorgeous silvery white hair trailing behind him in unkempt skeins.

"Eh," he started, pausing in mid stride to scratch his head unceremoniously. "I guess I'm just not used to this lull we've been havin' lately," he told her honestly, his arms crossing over his chest, his hands disappearing into the lengthy sleeves of his haori. "And it's weird not being around damned Miroku or having Sango around," he continued, one of his ears twitching of its own accord, his gaze filling with sadness as he contemplated Miroku's passing.

_Oh_, the miko thought, her worries assuaged. _He misses them_. "I know how you feel," she answered softly, her eyes filled with understanding. "It's strange to be around people for so long and then to suddenly part in separate ways." Inuyasha nodded in reply, shifting his stance a bit. "We can go visit Sango though if you want. I'm sure it'd be good for everyone!"

The hanyou glanced at Kagome and shrugged, using his mask of indifference to tame down how he was really feeling about the splendid idea. "Sure, why not," he answered dryly, his amber orbs expanding when the raven haired young woman threw her arms around his middle and buried her face in his chest.

"Mmm, Inuyasha," she moaned softly into the confines of his haori, her face warmed by the comfortable expanse of his chest. Inuyasha blew out a soft breath and ran his talons through her mid back length hair, her fragrance teasing his sensitive nose. He planted a quick but sweet kiss on the top of her head before he drew back from her, a smirk lighting his lips.

"What are we waitin' for? Let's go tell Shippo and get going," he stated in mock impatience, grasping her hand in his own as he began to drag her back towards the village. Kagome laughed quietly in relief now that her hanyou was in better spirits and back to his old, testy self. She observed him, pressing her fingers to her lips and then running them over the places that he'd planted kisses, her cheeks growing rosy as she reminisced.

Inuyasha's nose twitched briefly when he detected the aroma of arousal, his neck heating as he continued to stride on ahead, pulling the source of the smell close behind him. Pride seared through each part of him and he squeezed Kagome's hand tighter. It was the first time he'd ever been fully accepted by a female; Kikyo hadn't even surrendered to him the way Kagome had in all aspects and he found himself appreciating the high school girl from the future even more. In an attempt to cover up his feelings he half turned his head and said, "Do you have stones in your shoes or something? Quit draggin' your feet!" Kagome only beamed at him in response as they passed through the opening of trees, the huts of the village coming into view.

* * *

Chocolate brown orbs scrutinized the flawless, silken white fur that was flowing so smoothly between her deft hands. She fisted her fingers in it lightly, her middle tightening in response to the leap made by the beast that she was mounted upon. She had performed that action to steady herself atop Sesshomaru's true form, many thoughts cascading through her quick mind at the same time. He seemed to be loping along at a slower pace, the ride awkward and unlike the first one that she'd had on top of his back. _That could be due to the fact that he still has a large wedge of his shoulder missing_, she surmised, chewing on the inside of her cheek briefly. Sighing, she glanced over her shoulder at the three figures that were stationed there, feeling confusion and wonder crease her brow for the probably the millionth time in the last day and a half.

"What are you staring at, human?" Jaken barked impatiently, waving the staff of heads in Sango's direction.

"I wouldn't be using human as an insult right now, Jaken," she shot back at him in her defense, her eyebrows lowering slowly over luminous brown orbs. Feeling foolish, the creature promptly dropped the staff of heads beside him and pulled the hood of his cloak over the top of his head to hide from her piercing gaze.

"My apologies," came the scratchy, unkempt voice of the toad from beneath his hood, causing the tajiya's eyes to soften sympathetically. He raised his eyes to look at the woman, his once bulbous, unsightly orbs now merely large pools of brown. Ruefully, his eyes fell to his bare feet, taking in the sight of his peach colored toes and ankles, a defeated sigh leaving him. "How humiliating," he mumbled, his small human hands disappearing inside the sleeves of his tattered brown haori.

Sango worried her lower lip between her teeth for a moment as she looked to the other youkai that were perched beside the former toad. Kirara was lying on her side, her form small and diminutive; she seemed to be a little girl with trailing golden hair like the sun, her dark eyes just as heavy with shame as Jaken's. Her view shifted to where Ah Uh was seated; the former dragon youkai was quite the sight to behold. Two human heads, one male and one female were protruding from a set of expansive shoulders, both drooped and miserable. The tajiya expounded a breath, her chest heavy with dismay for the poor creatures, her mind wandering back to shortly after the powerful beast of a demon had fled with Rin…

_As Sango approached the camp, she beheld the sight of Ah Un and Jaken struggling to get to their feet. _This is so strange_, she mused to herself, raising her hands to rub up and down her shoulders._ Why are the demons the last to awaken when Rin was able to come out of consciousness?

_Jaken had managed to perch himself up onto his own two feet, his body sagging heavily against his wretched staff of two heads but he found himself weary and zapped of energy. It was a labor merely to swallow and his forehead broke out into a sweat. Sango's eyes widened slightly when she beheld something odd about the toad: his skin was paling noticeably and was taking on an apricot hue. Comprehending the look of bewilderment that he was receiving from the able tajiya, Jaken's bulbous yellow eyes narrowed and he growled at her in irritation. "Why do you look at this Jaken as such? Explain yourself!" he demanded, his voice grating on Sango's nerves._

"_Something strange is happening to you," she told him patiently and pointed towards the river that ran behind the huts. "I suggest you go and take a look." With that, the human woman spun on her heel and strode towards where Kirara had been lying, her back stiffening greatly when she heard a feline yowl that sounded like it had escaped a child rather than a cat. Her pace picked up to a run until she almost ran collided with a little girl with long, flowing golden locks and beautiful violet eyes caped in shapely, curved eyelashes that seemed completely familiar. Sango's breath caught in her throat when she gave the child a once over, her brain racking to come up with an answer to the thousands of questions that seemed to be racing through her head. Gulping down her inhibitions as best she could, she licked her lips and managed to stammer out, "K-Kirara?"_

_The petite girl began to sob, her wails coming out as whimpers and mewls like a kitten's and the tajiya found herself plummeting to the ground, landing hard on her knees. Her arms scooped Kirara, trembling and frightened, into her arms, her fingers stroking her fine hair. "Oh no, no, it's all right," she cooed softly, knowing very well that nothing was fine. She winced and didn't dare look over her shoulder when she heard the broken shrieks of a deep voiced man and a crestfallen woman coming from where Ah Uh had been stationed. _Kami-sama_, the human woman thought in dismay, racking her brains as she tried to find any sense in the situation._

"_How strange," came a cool baritone voice from behind, hushing the cries and sounds of sorrow from everyone in the immediate area. Sango turned slightly to see the Lord of the Western lands standing, hunched, to protect his many injuries, blood dripping from him in various areas. She swallowed, gauging his next reaction, wondering if he even cared at all that any of this had happened._

"_Sesshomaru-sama… What's happened to them?" she asked him softly, hoping that the use of his title would soften him up a bit and help him feel inclined to offer any thought that he had on the ordeal. Stoic golden eyes flitted between her and the demons that were now emotional humans, his stance faltering a bit as he stood._

"_Isn't it obvious?" The tall Inuyoukai sent to Sango, his voice stony. "That beast sucked the youki clean from them by use of the jewel shards and by other means, I'm sure," he finished, his arms and legs like weights as he continued to hold himself upright to save face. He swallowed, grinding his fangs together beneath lips that were clamped closed to hide his growing agony, his energy depleted. He wasn't sure how long he was going to be able to hold up the façade he had managed to put on thus far since he had gathered the will power to get up and investigate the increased scent of humans in the immediate area. _

_Sango's tender brow scrunched briefly for a moment in thought when she looked the Taiyoukai over once. "If… If the youkai that we were in contact with sapped away their auras, then why do you still have your demonic features and abilities?" The pieces of this bizarre puzzle just weren't meshing together like they should have been and she half wondered if Sesshomaru even knew the answer to her question._

_Snorting regally and shifting his gaze out towards the river, the tall and majestic demon lord mulled the confused tajiya's inquiry over in his head. He wasn't about to let her know that he had been pondering on the same thing and was unsure as to whether or not something was going to happen to him in turn. "Hmm," was the only sound he let fall from his lips, his golden orbs lost in thought._

"_My dear Lord Sesshomaru," Jaken whimpered out, his dark eyes brimming with tears as he trudged towards his master and away from the river. "I am gravely sorry that you are to be stuck with the likes of a human as your vassal," he added, falling onto his face to beseech the powerful Taiyoukai. He sobbed into the ground, feeling for all the world like he had betrayed his master in some way, well aware of his lord's disdain for mortals._

"_Compose yourself," Sesshomaru sent towards his groveling servant, annoyed by his display; it was even more pathetic than usual. Sniffing one last time, the old and bald man rubbed his hands into his eyes to sop up the tears of humiliation that kept falling. Rolling his golden eyes, the proud Inuyoukai returned his attention to Sango, his breaths coming out quickly because of the amount of force his body was exerting to keep him upright. He was going to have to sit for this; there was no denying. Clearing his throat in a dignified manner, Sesshomaru placed himself on the ground as graceful a movement as his sore, wounded body would allow._

_The tajiya sighed, one of her hands stroking Kirara's gorgeous hair in hopes of comforting her. The child burrowed into Sango's chest, seeking out more warmth and ease, soft sounds of mewling escaping from her diminutive form. "Shh little one," she whispered, hoping she sounded convincing and maternal to the little girl, her chocolate brown orbs meeting Sesshomaru's golden ones._

_An unspoken interaction took place between the two individuals. Sango's throat tightened as she continued to gaze into his cold, endless honey colored pools of light, unable to digest the fact that he had endless amounts of layers to his personality. She had barely even breached the surface. Swallowing against some unwanted bile that had risen in her throat, a thought came to her and she wisely voiced it. "You are a youkai that takes a human form," she began, the words flowing out of her mouth easily. "I was taught as a demon slayer, by all the elders before me and by the records that we had, that creatures that choose to wear such a guise have unthinkable amounts of power and youki," she noticed now that she had piqued the attractive Inuyoukai's interest, his attention focused on her completely. "I know that they all have a considerable amount of youki," Sango pointed to the weary, sullen figures that were lazing around her, drawing their intent as well, "but I wonder if you had more than what that beast could take after he had stolen theirs."_

_Sesshomaru was inwardly taken aback at the train of thought that the human woman had entertained and shared with him. She had quite a mind inside that fragile head of hers; a human with formidable fighting skills and a quick intellect—he'd never thought that the mortal species was capable of breeding individuals such as her. _Interesting_, he mused to himself, his visage one of stone and ice and very unreadable by purpose. "I find that a feasible explanation," he told her, his baritone voice restricted to hide the physical unease that he was experiencing. Damn it, he'd been horribly wounded before. Just what in the name of Kami-sama was going on with his body? "Afterall," he pursued, a haughty smirk tainting his flawless lips, "I am the Lord of the Western lands and not a force to be trifled with."_

_Sango laughed softly and nodded, her cheeks growing warm at the sight of his fangy shadow of a grin. She had hated it whenever Miroku had tried to inflate his own ego… but for some reason she found it acceptable that Sesshomaru say such arrogant things. _It's like his personality, that he is trying so hard to mask, hiccups out by accident,_ she decided mentally and shook her head, still smiling._

_Ah Un broke the tajiya from her reverie when they released twin groans. Their eyes were large and pleading, their attention bouncing back between Sango and Sesshomaru. The Taiyoukai passed a hand through his ruffled bangs and shifted his position on the rocky ground. "They feel vulnerable," he informed the human woman, his eyes dropping to the ground briefly. What was he to do with Jaken and Ah Un now? The toad turned old man could no longer manipulate the staff of heads and the former dragon could no longer protect nor fly. Closing his eyes and taking in a deep inhale, Sesshomaru lifted his head and studied all who were near him. "Listen to me, all of you," he stated, his voice commanding but gentle in tone at the same time. "Rin has been kidnapped and all of you have been stripped of your youkai dignity. This Sesshomaru believes that the best solution would be to take you to the Manor of the Western Lands and let you be protected there while I perform a search."_

"_B-but my lord," Jaken stuttered out, the setting sun glaring off of the top of his hairless head. "We wish to assist you," he added and Ah Un grunted, both heads nodding to confirm that statement._

"_I regret to say that you are not of much use to me like this," The regal white haired demon replied honestly but with little emotion in his tones. "You are unfamiliar with your human bodies," he finished, both of his loyal servants hanging their heads in dismay and disappointment._

_Sango observed the exchange and felt sympathy for both of the beings, her hand reaching out to rest on Jaken's shoulder. His head whipped around and he stared at her wide eyed, not understanding that she was merely trying to comfort him with the gesture. "This might be what is best," she told him, feeling his small body tense beneath her fingers at her words. Knowing that the tajiya was right, the little old man grumbled a few frustrated nothings under his breath that she couldn't quite make out but then relaxed._

"_I require until noon tomorrow to rest and then I will be taking the both of you back," Sesshomaru charged towards his vassals but was distracted when Sango cleared her throat purposely. He turned his head to fix her with a sardonic look, one of his eyebrows arching as he waited for her to insert what it was she wanted to say._

"_I wish to go with you," she told him point blank, throwing some of her ebony hair over her shoulder as she kept her hold on Kirara. "Kirara will need safe keeping as well."_

"_Do as you like," Sesshomaru huffed in annoyance, not in the mood to refuse her company. He was feeling very fatigued, crusty from the drying blood and something else that he just couldn't define. "I wish for peace now though," he shot at her and Sango fixed him with a skeptical look. For all that he was trying to keep the emotion out of his voice, he was failing miserably at hiding the grumpiness he was obviously experiencing._

"_Good night, Lord Sesshomaru," she mocked, getting to her feet, lifting little Kirara up in her arms with her. She strode purposefully towards the hut that housed the futon that she had shared with Rin, glancing over her shoulder. A breath passed her lips when her eyes fixed upon the enigmatic demon lord. It was so odd that a being who tried so hard to conceal his emotions should actually in truth take care of the ones that traveled with him so well. Sango's first impression of him had been that he was selfish, supercilious and cruel. It seemed that she had been wrong on a couple of accounts. Shaking her head lightly, she realized she had been staring at him while lost in her thoughts and now he was glaring back at her, wondering what she wanted._

"_Meow," Kirara crooned softly into the tajiya's chest, fully bringing the young woman back to the present._

"_Oh, gomen ne, little one. We're going," she replied, her tone gentle, her form disappearing into the hut for the night…_

Sango sighed, bringing herself from the reverie when she noticed a change in her surroundings. Trees, full of healthy, fat green leaves were waving in the breeze that was being created by the massive dog that ran passed them. The air was fresh, clean and gentle upon the human woman's lungs. She smiled, her hands tightening a bit more in Sesshomaru's silken fur unintentionally; it had been so long since she had seen nature in such good condition and lush greenery. She was not prepared though for the impending, enormous estate that began to materialize in the broadening horizon. Her dark eyes squinted as she fought to decipher the details of it and realized that it was Sesshomaru's manor, her jaw hanging open in awe.

_What an enormous castle!_ She thought, her heart hammering in her chest at the magnificent sight of it, her eyes dropping to the Inuyoukai that she was mounted upon. _I really shouldn't have expected any less though. It is Sesshomaru's after all_, she mused, her eyes narrowing slightly in confusion when she gazed at his coat of fur. There was something different about it…

Bounding over the soft soil and grass as best he could, Sesshomaru could feel that he was taxing his body far more than he had realized. Crimson eyes observed the nearing estate and he felt some relief wash through him. He lengthened his strides out as much as he could without loosing control of his enormous true form and continued on, his breathing labored.

Chocolate colored eyes probed the fine coat that was stationed underneath her, her brow knit together in both confusion and worry. His fur, it seemed, was off white and more silver than anything. Her hands roamed the expanse of the pelt around her, a gasp leaving her lips when she discovered some dark—no black hairs attached to his back. She swallowed, her head snapping upright when she realized that two blood red eyes were gaping back at her; he had undoubtedly heard her sound of alarm.

"Hello!" she emitted, tagging false laughter onto the end, her face widening with a smile. She waved at him foolishly, blowing out a silent, extremely palliated breath when she felt vibrations of a grumble beneath her as his eyes were stationed forwards once again. Her mind began to working swiftly. _What does this mean?_ She almost entertained her thoughts but was distracted by the huge palace like piece of architecture that was, at present, standing mightily before her.

"At last, we are home," Jaken murmured, dismounting off of his lord's back after Ah Un and Kirara, hobbling towards the elegant pearl colored front gates. Sango's languid eyes were bright and enlarged at the sight. Behind two ivory gates there was an expansive, lovely courtyard filled with bushes that were trimmed, with perfection, to look like demons. An intricately carved fountain laid off to the left, the soothing sounds of the trickling water easing the tension in the tajiya's back caused by the ride on the way to this wonderful place. There was a cobblestone path that led from the gates to the entrance of the Manor; fine tapestries with a specific familial crest embroidered in the center hung beside the exquisite set of double doors.

Sango felt her mouth drying out as her jaw hung slack but she remembered how rude it was to gawk and stare. Clearing her throat, she slid off of the Taiyoukai's back carefully, gripping her hiraikotsu close to herself as she took a few tentative steps forward. She stiffened when she felt a gust of wind beat against her back, spinning around to find the source—she relaxed upon discovering that it was only Sesshomaru shifting to his human form.

_Oh Kami-sama, his hair is different_, she thought, her tongue darting out to moisten her lips that had grown so inconceivably dry. It was true; his hair was darkening even as they stood there. She was caught between the choice of telling him and letting him find out for himself. What was she to do?

Thankfully, Jaken chirped, his bubbling brown eyes looking as if they would burst from alarm. "Sesshomaru-sama! Your… Your countenance is altered!" the former toad shrieked, a jagged and wrinkled finger pointing up towards his master's face unabashedly.

Lifting a delicate eyebrow, the noble Taiyoukai fixed the shriveled old man with a skeptical look. "My countenance…?" The dog demon began not knowing at all to what his vassal was referring and paused in mid-sentence, his voice sounding different to his ears. Suddenly, he no longer could smell humans around him, nor could he hear the faint thudding of their hearts fragile hearts. He cleared his throat, his eyes darting around briefly as he felt himself start to lose the grip he had on his control. Refusing to let the ones around him notice his faltering stony façade, the demon Lord of the Western Lands tightened his back, feeling every muscle and wound contained in and on his body roar out in pain.

Noting the hunching of Sesshomaru's broad shoulders, Sango stepped beside him, making sure to catch his eyes. "Oh!" she exclaimed, berating herself afterwards. The demon's eyes flashed scarlet for a moment before fading to a swirling ire of gold and indigo, his patience and temper running thin.

"What?" He snapped, furious that everyone seemed to know something that he did not. Swallowing, the tajiya reached into one of the folds of her kimono and withdrew a strange circular device. She opened it and held it to his hands.

"It's called a compact," she stammered, wondering just how he was going to react upon seeing his appearance in the tiny mirror. "It's a portable looking glass that you can groom yourself in," she added, her eyes scrunching closed as if in pain when Sesshomaru snatched the compact from her, nearly crushing it in his haste.

Tearing the strange device open, the Inuyoukai saw a honed piece of looking glass stationed in the middle of the opened circle he held in his pulsing hand. Upon getting a glimpse of his appearance in the small mirror that was contained within the mahogany colored compact, his dual colored eyes grew to enormous proportions. He felt his pulse elevating as he stood, his breathing quicker and growing more labored by the second. He swallowed, the compact slipping between his trembling fingers and Sango reached out swiftly to catch one of his arms as his knees began to buckle.

Sesshomaru clamped his eyes closed briefly as his strength began to diminish furthermore. He could hear clipped noises and voices all around him, his head spinning.

"Sesshomaru, stay with us," he could hear the tajiya calling to him but her voice seemed so far away. Prying his eyes open, he saw her dirt smudged, worried visage before him, her chocolate orbs pleading him to maintain consciousness. "Please!" she continued to beg, her hand lightly slapping at his cheek. The Taiyoukai could feel his head bobbing around, the freakish amounts of blood that he had lost taking an unexpected and improbable turn for the worst. He had never, in his many centuries of life, felt so completely helpless or weak.

"What…" he mumbled, his voice so soft and uncharacteristic that Sango barely heard him utter the lone word, before he collapsed in a heap, half in her arms.

"My lord!" Jaken cried, rushing forward to aid the young woman that was doing her best to collect the heap that was the Taiyoukai in her arms and keep him from falling to the ground. The toad turned human's rounded eyes were filled with concern, his small wrinkled hands pushing his master towards the tajiya's center of gravity to help her maintain balance. Glancing up at Sango, the old man whispered, "What are we to do?" his crackly voice shaking.

Releasing a tremulous breath herself, the human woman looked to Ah Un and Kirara, her gaze soft but firm all the while. She needed to take charge here; she just had to or else Sesshomaru was going to die of blood loss and infection. "It looks like that treacherous youkai managed to steal Sesshomaru's youki after all," she began, schooling her voice to a neutral and steady tone. "Jaken and I are going to need your help to get him inside. We have to be quick though. He could be dying as we speak," she trailed off when she noticed that she was no longer holding a wounded, bulky, pale haired dog demon but instead a black haired man who was, although still quite tall and built, slightly easier to hold.

"Hurry all of you!" Jaken barked as commenced flailing his hands around frantically, wanting to get his master indoors as quickly as possible. Obediently, Ah Un and Kirara came forward and between the four of them, the humans were able to cart the Taiyoukai's limp, bleeding body inside the enormous estate.

* * *

_Writer's Corner:_

Sorry that took me so long guys! I've been working a lot lately. I do have good news though I remember where I was going with this story completely now! Hee hee. Woo hoo!

Yes, I turned Sesshomaru into a human. Hopefully he won't stay that way for too long, I haven't decided yet. And I'm sure he's not very happy about that… Hahaha. He's got a couple of lessons to learn and a few issues to sort out yet so I figured it's good for him, although it's going to stink.

Thank you to those of you who reviewed! I was afraid I had lost my audience… lol but I guess that's what happens when you go on a two year hiatus… Anyways, the next chapter should be up and full of good stuff (and by good stuff, I do mean… goooooood stuff). Hee hee


	10. Chapter Nine

_Writer's Corner:_

I want to preface this chapter by acknowledging the fact that this story has pretty much been on hiatus for five years and that I promised to have it finished soon with my last update. I apologize faithful readers XD I guess adult-life got the better of me for a while there. In the last five years I: worked full time as an engineer for a year, got married, went to graduate school and got two master's degrees, and am getting ready to complete an internship which will allow me to become licensed to practice in my new field in the next month So although I did not publish much fanfiction, I hope you'll excuse it because of all the things I have been up to the last few years.

New readers: When I started this story, I believe we were only in season 4 or 5 of Inuyasha so I was left to speculate post-Naraku scenarios; it's meant to be an alternate universe fic and will continue to progress as such.

Old readers who have been waiting ever-so patiently: thaaaaaank youuuuuu for your patience XD I'll try not to disappoint! It's pretty hard to top what I've done so far but I will make attempts and try to update far more often.

I'll begin by saying that I took a more liberal approach with Sesshomaru's human personality. My rationale is that he's been turned into a human so he is experiencing certain thoughts and feelings that we humans deal with on a daily basis yet never think about for the first time; it seemed to me like that could be substantially overwhelming to a being who normally is in the shallow end of the emotional pool and has no respect for the human heart really. Also, this chapter is going to be pretty lengthy because it's been sooooooooo long since I've updated haha. I'm sure none of you care, but it's just a heads up!

Small disclaimer: there will be talk of menses and of male arousal in this chapter. It's somewhat detailed but nothing more than PG-13.

Other than that… Enjoy!

* * *

_RECAP:_

Inuyasha and gang are planning on visiting their tajiya friend and her neko companion!

Rin has been kidnapped by a strange and powerful demon that possesses jewel shards and other mysterious powers for no real explainable reason at this point

The mysterious demon stole the youki from Jaken, Ah-Uh, and Kirara, thereby changing them into humans

Sesshomaru planned to search for Rin after dropping off his human-turned demon companions at his home in the Western Lands but becomes a human himself and is overcome by his horrible wounds

* * *

**Chapter Nine:**

"Inuyasha! We've been on the road all day," shouted a ruffled, young kitsune who was beginning to tire of their arduous pace of travel. "I thought that the demon slayer's village was only several hours away at your running pace."

Kagome's brow furrowed as she watched her mate's silvery mane bluster in the breeze that was being generated by the swift pace at which their company was travelling. _Why didn't I realize that?_ she pondered, nodding towards Shippo, feeling sheepish. She had started to feel lethargic and somewhat nauseas a few hours ago and wondered if those feelings made her miss the obvious detour they had taken from a familiar path. "Good point. Where are we going now, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha glanced behind him without turning his head before he fixed his eyes back on the road. "You didn't feel any of that?" He asked loudly over the wind he was racing against.

"…Any of what?" Kagome pressed, her voice slightly irritated; what had she missed that was apparently so obvious to the inuhanyou?

"Well… I smelled familiar blood a while back," Shippo began, sensing the tension that was forming between the girl from the future and her half-demon mate, "but we were too far away from it for me to figure out who it belonged to."

The young priestess's eyes widened. "Familiar blood?"

Inuyasha nodded as he maintained his brisk pace. "Yeah. I caught a whiff of Sango and Kirara's scents when we were on the outskirts of the tajiya village," he started before he did a grumbling chuckle in the back of his throat. "But you'll never guess who she was with and whose blood was all over the place."

Kagome thought a moment, her brow scrunched rather unattractively as she brainstormed scenarios that seemed likely, but it was unnecessarily laborious. "I don't have a clue," she stated honestly, feeling tired and bothered from her partial attempt at figuring out what Inuyasha was trying to spell out for her.

The hanyou slowed his run to a trot, and then came to a complete stop before setting Kagome and Shippo on the ground gently. His dark brows lowered over amber eyes as he crossed his arms inside his haori over his chest. "Are you feelin' okay? Normally you're figuring out stuff right and left but today, you don't want any part of it," he spat at her, annoyance coloring his vocal tones. He was worried about the dark haired girl, but still needed much more practice when it came to showing and acting on his concern. Shippo's cobalt eyes turned up to give Kagome a once over.

"You seem really tired, Kagome," the fox child added, wondering what could possibly be causing such a drain in energy in his normally lively and bubbly companion. He remembered a conversation that he had eavesdropped on between Sango and Kagome in the past, his eyes widening at his revelation. "Did 'Aunt Flo' visit you? Is that why you're really tired and not feeling well?"

The high school girl's eyes widened, her cheeks glowing red as she burst into a fit of laughter. Shippo's head cocked to the side, not really sure why it was a laughing matter. Kagome had discussed how she and Sango were often visited by an 'Aunt Flo' at the same time, by some cruel twist of fate, and her visits were often unpleasant and left them both feeling nauseas and unenergetic, so why was it so funny? Inuyasha simply stood estranged where he was.

"Aunt… Flo?" The hanyou stuttered out, racking his brains for any kind of meaning. _Who is Aunt Flo and why would she make Kagome feel tired?_ He thought as Kagome continued chortling, her eyes watering.

"What's so funny?! It seems like it's serious to me!" Shippo exclaimed, confusion and misunderstanding rampant in his voice as he jumped up and down in frustration.

Kagome finally was able to get a grip on herself and wiped her eyes gingerly. "Gomen ne, Shippo-chan," she wheezed, feeling slightly better than she had before her laughing spell. In order for human girls to have babies, their bodies have to undergo certain things for a few days each month and it doesn't always feel very good. It's a necessary evil though. It's easy to refer to these days as a 'visit from Aunt Flo', because a lot of times, visits from a high-strung aunt can be just as unpleasant as the way the body feels during those days." _Wow! Great job, Kagome!_ The young woman thought to herself as she saw the kitsune's face become far less concerned. "In response to your question, no, Aunt Flo is not visiting."

"Ohhhhh," replied the young fox demon, his cheeks taking on a slight pink from embarrassment. "I don't think I understand exactly what you're talking about, but I'm not quite sure I want to." Cobalt eyes met twinkling brown before he added, "but I'm glad it's not that!" with a smile.

Based on Kagome's explanation, a light bulb went off in Inuyasha's brain. "Why would you call THAT a visit from Aunt Flo?" he demanded, utterly confused by the seemingly nonsensical explanation that his mate had given the young fox. Kagome's eyes widened and she put one finger up to her lips, to let the inuhanyou know to be quiet.

"We can talk about it later if you want," she forced out, her tone hinting at 'shut up, Inuyasha.' Putting her hands on her hips, the girl from the future sighed. "I think we got side tracked. Who was with Sango and Kirara back at the demon slayers' village?" Kagome asked, bringing everyone back to the actual matter at hand and not her monthly menses cycle.

Inuyasha's stance relaxed a bit. "She was with Sesshomaru, believe it or not. And the village smelled like it had had a bath in Sesshomaru's blood and of sickening youki. The youki was so strong that I had this subconscious feeling to just stay away. That's why we avoided the village altogether," he answered her, his dog ears twitching, listening to sounds in the periphery of their present location. "I figured we should track Sango down since there was no one physically in the village that I could smell."

Kagome's stomach sank a little bit. "You said you smelled sickening youki? I wonder why I didn't feel anything? Normally I pick up on something if it's a strong, evil presence," she mumbled, sounding like she had let Inuyasha and Shippo down.

"Uh, yeah," Inuyasha said quietly, nervously scratching his head near his right ear. Kagome's brow furrowed once again, her mind trying to work past the fogginess that she had been experiencing for the past several hours.

"So we passed the tajiya village a few hours ago, right?" she asked, her eyes examining small pebbles on the ground as her mental problem solving gears slowly turned.

"Yeah," Inuyasha replied, a little relieved that she was acting a little more like her normal inquisitive self.

"And… I started feeling lethargic and odd a few hours ago," Kagome continued, brown eyes meeting amber and then cobalt. "Could whatever I'm feeling possibly be linked to whatever aura Sango's village was giving off?"

Shippo made a thoughtful sound. "Could that be possible, Inuyasha? It seems like the timing is right on for that."

The inuhanyou sighed, scratching at his ear again. "Well, whatever's happening, we're sure as hell not going to figure it out by staying here," he answered promptly, his voice gruff with irritation. "For all we know, something's happened to Sango and Kirara so we'd better just get back on the trail and worry about the little details later."

There were many confusing and seemingly unexplainable things there were happening that were thickening the air between the three travelling companions. One, why were Sango and Sesshomaru together in the demon slayer's village and could it possibly be tied to what he and his mate had witnessed back in her time? Two, why had Kagome started feeling so strangely once they had come near the proximity of the demon slayers' village? Three, what demon had been able to cloak the village in a hideous youki strong enough to trigger Inuyasha instincts, thereby keep a distance just from the smell of it? Four, how had someone as formidable as Sesshomaru become smattered in his own blood? Lastly, there were unfamiliar scents in the air that were continuing along the trail, one of them belonging to Sango… but Inuyasha couldn't decipher the others.

Kagome swallowed, her gut heavy with unease. "So, what do we do?" she asked, her voice dry and shaking slightly. "Is this the way to Sesshomaru-sama's land?"

Inuyasha nodded, his amber eyes softer now. "Yeah. I figured this would be the best way to go," he replied, bending slightly so his mate could climb up into her spot on his back. Shippo followed in suit and grabbed the inuhanyou's red haori between his little fingers, gripping tightly.

"I'm worried about Sango and Kirara," the kitsune stated, his high-pitched voice laced with concern as Inuyasha began to run again, the arms of his haori flapping behind them as they continued on toward the Western Lands.

"Yeah," Inuyasha grumbled, mostly to himself. Many thoughts were cascading through his mind but he didn't want to voice them since Kagome wasn't feeling like herself and because they would only upset Shippo. "We're getting there," he added a little louder to the two that were mounted on his back.

The dark haired girl's grip tightened on the half demon's haori as they continued to bound toward the Western Lands, the sun beginning to lower in the sky above them. _Why didn't I sense anything and why am I so out of it?_ The high school girl pondered to herself as her eyes grew heavy. _I hope you're all right Sango_… Kagome thought before she dozed off on Inuyasha's back with Shippo's hand petting her gently on the head.

* * *

Rin sat shuddering in the darkness, her legs splayed unceremoniously on the cold, hard floor of the room she had been occupying for what seemed like eternity. A rumbling emitted from her small belly, a natural reminder that informed her that it had been some time since she had last eaten; her eyes traveled to where a small dish was placed, her stomach growling more intensely. _No_, the young girl insisted, her resolve strong. _I will not eat this; I would rather die than help this monster_.

The door to the blackened chamber opened a crack, a ray of light entered the room which caused the diminutive, dirtied child to wince as her eyes adjusted to its brightness. A monstrous form shrouded the part of the entryway that she could see and cruel, crimson eyes were fixated up on her. "So," the menacing demon began in a deep, yet calm voice. "You refuse sustenance."

Rin grit her teeth, her eyebrows lowering angrily. "I won't eat this!" she shouted, rebelliously kicking the dish that held her food and sending its contents flying about the room. "I won't eat any of your food!" she added, drawing her knees into her chest quickly, rocking back and forth on her tailbone in an attempt to calm herself despite the unease she felt in the presence of her captor.

The dark haired demon's blood red eyes narrowed as he observed the small child. "Why do you refuse your food?" he questioned, his voice unusually calm and revealing an emotion that almost sounded akin to genuine curiosity.

The little dark haired girl's stopped rocking at the inquiry and tone of the creature's voice. She looked up slowly, eying the immense form that stood before her in the doorway. _Lord Sesshomaru is always asking why like that_, she thought, feeling comforted and conflicted all at once, especially with what she had witnessed earlier in the chamber where she had discovered Mareo. Feeling flustered, Rin staved off tears that were threatening to drop out of her eyes and onto her lap. Why had her Lord or Sango-sama not come for her yet? What could have been taking them so long? "I don't want to be a part of your evil," she stammered, her eyes continuing to water despite her desire to withhold her emotions as she remembered the events that had wound her up in this dank, dirty prison.

_Rin scurried down the dark, musty hallway, her eyes hardly seeing and attempting to decipher what was before her in the lighting provided by the dim lanterns that were hanging upon the pewter colored walls. On arriving at what appeared to be a petite stone hut on the outside earlier, the immense creature that had taken the small girl captive released her once they had stepped inside and the oblong shaped door had slammed soundly behind them._

_What could the youkai have been thinking?_ This is my chance! _The petite dark-haired child thought with elation as she rushed back toward the oddly shaped entrance to the stony shed, only to be blocked by some sort of barrier that repelled her backward. Rin released a cry of alarm as she sailed through the air, landing on her back painfully. She lay strewn on the rocky floor in defeat, gasping as she attempted to recover the air in her middle that had been forcefully expelled out._

_A cruel chuckle rumbled from behind the child as she continued to lie sprawled out on the ground of the hut. "Did you think that I was that stupid? You'll find that there is more than meets the eye in this place," he told her, his crimson eyes glowing in the darkness, watching her with fascination. He suddenly appeared to be experiencing discomfort and managed to add, "you will escape only when I've allowed it," on to the end of his snide remark._

_Rin's hands balled into fists as she continued to lie in a crumpled pile, tears welling in her eyes. She swallowed, blinking hard to dry out the liquid that threatened to fall from her eyes and stream down her dirty cheeks. _Sesshomaru-sama will come for me,_ she managed to tell herself which filled her small chest with hope; after all, her Lord had never given her reason to believe he wouldn't ever come to her rescue._

_The small child rolled over onto her belly and pressed herself up onto her knees before standing up, feeling wobbly and unstable for a moment. That barrier had managed to jostle her quite a bit, but she rolled her shoulders and refused to let it ruffle her. It was at that moment that Rin realized that her captor had left her alone in the darkness. Gulping back the unease that was climbing up from her stomach and into her esophagus, Rin tentatively began traveling forward, with her arms extended so that she could feel anything that might have possibly been in her path. Her walking pace picked up when the corridor further down on the right was being illuminated by dim, wall-hanging lanterns._

Where are the rooms?_ The diminutive girl thought, realizing that she hadn't come across a single chamber in her endless wanderings down various, poorly lit corridors. She also wondered how such a small, stone house could be so expansive on the inside. Her brow scrunched up in further contemplation as she continued to meander aimlessly, her eyes widening when she happened upon a large mahogany door with stunning decoration that had been placed unceremoniously in the middle of the hallway she had been travelling down. She ran her small, dirtied hands along the frame of the door and the shapes; they were unlike anything she had ever seen before. _Even the doors at Lord Sesshomaru's manor aren't pretty like this,_ she noted, her chest tightening at the thought of her powerful guardian._

_Rin gasped as the door creaked open slightly, her eyes overwhelmed momentarily by the light from within the chamber. She carefully peered through the crease that had been made, her breath uneven as she observed the room's interior. Her captor was lying in front of a bed of flames that blazed in the fireplace, his form in a heavy, defeated heap. The child cocked an eyebrow, wondering what on earth this powerful youkai was doing lying on the embroidered carpet as if he were dead. What creature could have brought the intimidating demon to this state? No one else had entered this desolate place to her knowledge. Suddenly, a deep, two-tone voice pierced the silence within the chamber, causing Rin's breath to falter momentarily._

"_Mareo, get up," the ominous voice growled angrily, however the demon didn't move. "What ails you?" the seemingly invisible being demanded of the youkai who seemed to have a slight tremor as he laid on the ground. Mareo's head rose slightly, his jet-black locks sliding over his shoulders to trail on the ground before him. Rin's eyes grew wider, if possible, at the sight of his blood-drained face and blood-shot cocoa colored eyes; it was as if her powerful assailant had had the life sucked out of him. He also appeared to be… human?_

"_I…" Mareo forced out between grit teeth, appearing to be in great pain. His head dropped from the effort of speaking, his shoulders trembling. "This youki absorption process is unbearable," the demon gasped out, his hands going to clutch his head as he curled into a fetal position, rocking back and forth. Rin almost pitied the creature that had kidnapped her; he looked as if he was being tortured and mangled from the inside out._

_The two-tone voice emitted a rumbling chuckle that shook the floor beneath the small girl's feet, causing Rin to cower back from the door slightly. Who was speaking to this 'Mareo' and where were they in that room? The young girl could see no other being in the room with the anguished man. "You foolish human," the being thundered, causing Mareo to cower further into his curled position of agony. "I gave you what you desired and this is how you react to it?"_

So he is human_, the small girl who beheld this estranged scene concluded, stepping away from the door slightly. _I don't really understand what is going on here,_ she added before turning back to peer through the crack in the doorway again._

"_I wanted to forever to have the power to protect Eri and find the jewel shards," the human Mareo barked out, his voice sounding far less menacing and cruel than it had hours earlier. "But now she's…" he trailed off, his voice heavy with grief as his fingers curled into fists. "And I…" he added, staring down at his talon-less hands, tears streaming from his dark eyes. The desperate man slammed his right fist into the ground, his teeth clenched and eyes screwed shut. "This is NOT what I wanted!" he roared, his voice broken with regret._

"_You were a helpless human who dreamed and desired more than what this life had dealt you," the evil voice jeered; it was at that moment that Rin realized that the two-tone articulation was coming from Mareo's own mouth. Chills crawled up her tiny spine and a cold sweat broke out on her forehead. She wanted to flee but couldn't force her feet to move; her eyes remained fixated upon the human man who appeared to have two personalities that were at war with one another. "I found you broken hearted in the woods of your home town, knowing that you would be doomed to live forever alone because you lacked the limbs to stand."_

_The tortured human man ran his hands nervously over his face, his breathing shaky and audible to the young girl that stood several feet from him. "We were going to use the jewel shards to outlast time together," he muttered, his voice heavy with remorse and bitterness. Rin was saddened by Mareo's display of human heartbreak, empathizing with his feelings of regret, betrayal, and remorse._

"_Don't sound like you were so innocent in this matter," the horrid two-tone voice snapped forcefully over the top of Mareo's weeping and mumbling. "It was you who exchanged your soul for two legs and feet so that you could go to that demoness instead of have her be caught and tortured by the youkai despising populous of your village. You had the choice to turn down my offer," the being continued haughtily, "yet you sold your soul to the devil in order to have what you truly desired in your heart."_

_Rin watched the human man closer, realizing that claws were beginning to sprout from the ends of his fingertips once again. _What is… the devil?_ The young girl thought to herself, noticing other subtle alterations to the man's appearance. He was beginning to take on demonic features once again, though it was odd that he had lost them in the first place._

"_My intentions were pure!" Mareo lashed out, fangs beginning to settle in where human teeth had been moments before._

"_That's what they all say until their true intentions are manifested in what they become," the creature named 'the devil' taunted, laughing maniacally as the man undergoing transformation started gasping for breath, a clawed hand reaching towards his chest as if it were in pain. "You have now fully absorbed the power of three lesser demons and an extremely powerful one," the devil continued as the human-turned-demon's jet-black locks began to float effervescently around his form, making him look ethereal. "That should hold you over until you collect the final pieces and individuals that you need."_

_Mareo nodded, his brown turned crimson eyes blazing with intensity and energy. "I feel…" he began, his voice coarse and somewhat fatigued, "truly alive." He drew in a deep breath of air with his demon senses restored and caught a whiff of the human child that he had kidnapped earlier. _She located this hidden chamber rather quickly_, the demon mused to himself, his human personality slowly disappearing into the demonic youki that served to blacken his soul and repress his human heart and emotions._ _Rin's ability to find the chamber in a masked corridor was more evidence that she was designed for the task he had in store for her._

_Rin continued to stare through the crack in the door, wondering what Mareo was up to since he had grown strangely quiet. The demon stood, continuing to face the fireplace; the young girl's breath caught in her throat, her muscles tensing when she realized she might have been found out._

"_She's been there the whole time," the devil chuckled and the dark haired girl's eyes opened to astronomic proportions. "Aren't you glad to have your youkai senses back?"_

_Mareo turned abruptly, crimson eyes catching chocolate; Rin felt paralyzed in his menacing gaze, again unable to budge from her current stance behind the door. _I… I can't run!_ She panicked internally, when the demon's gaze bled completely crimson, versus just his irises. She knew what blood red eyes meant; she had seen her lord and several other powerful demons take on that countenance before. _Lord Sesshomaru!_ Rin cried inwardly, her throat tight and constricted_

"_Regain your composure, Mareo," the devil ordered through the demon's lips, which only served to petrify the young girl more. "Remember, you need her."_

"_You need me?" the young girl managed to blurt out despite her fears but before she could process an impending reaction to her statement, her world went dark. _

"I know you want me to do something for you," the young girl finished, burying her head down in her petite lap, wishing for all the world that this muscled demon who had reminded her of her dear Sesshomaru-sama for a fleeting moment would disappear from the doorway and leave her in peace.

Mareo studied the alteration in the child's behavior at his question. _What an emotional creature_, he scoffed inwardly, pleased that his attempt at copying her Inuyoukai companion had served its intended purpose. _Her loyalties are swayed easily if she is showed some semblance of familiarity pertaining to that dog_. He ran his talons through his long jet-black locks and pondered his next mode of effusion of the girl's stubborn resolve. He cleared his throat, before speaking again. "I wonder why your Sesshomaru hasn't come for you yet?" the demon pressed, his fingers sliding into one of the pockets of his haori to stroke the jewel shard fragments that he had in his possession. "Could it be that he is taking his time and spending it leisurely with that lovely tajiya?"

Rin's eyes narrowed at his cold and purposefully prodding questions; she knew better than to listen to his taunting and to let herself be manipulated by it. She had grown accustomed to hearing demons verbally torture their prey after all. However, she was not prepared for the surge of emotions that accompanied his inquiries. After clearing her throat, Rin replied, "I don't know," very solemnly, her hands fisting in her sullied kimono. _I do not want to know. I just want Sesshomaru-sama and Sango-sama to get me, _she thought earnestly, wrapping her arms around her knees.

Eying the small girl and realizing that it was likely going to take several attempts to crack the ningen girl's confidence in her beloved Lord of the Western Lands, Mareo shrugged and stepped back from the doorway of the chamber. "I would not place your hopes and dreams in a demon. They end tragically," he delivered condescendingly over his shoulder as he slammed the creaky door to her chamber shut, dead-bolting it.

Rin sat up straight, her resolve strengthened."It ends poorly when you don't like what you have," she muttered mainly to herself as she stood, dusting off her kimono. "I hope you are safe Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Sango," she whispered, beginning to pace around the chamber in an attempt to occupy her racing mind.

* * *

"For the love of Kami-sama," Sesshomaru barked out, his voice dripping with pain, anger, and an emotion he couldn't decipher because it was foreign to even his own ears. Sango lifted her hands quickly, her fingers gripping the needle and thread tightly that were currently laced through the human turned Inuyoukai's wounded and battered flesh. "I see no need for your clumsy needlework," he growled impatiently, his voice strained as he fought to keep his already shattered composure.

"I'm sorry," she told him gently, wincing when he clamped his coffee colored eyes shut and began to grind his teeth inside his stubbornly closed mouth in an attempt to hide his blatant sentiments. "This is the only way I know to stop your bleeding," she explained honestly, hoping that this would calm the fatally marred man who lay beneath her on a well upholstered cot (of sorts).

The Taiyoukai was having difficulty bearing the well of emotions that were threatening to erupt out of the gate of his normally well-kept composure. He had never experienced pain in this way before and found it to be extremely unsettling and undesirable. His heart was racing, he was continually thirsty, he kept feeling as if the world was going to go black at any moment, and for whatever god-forsaken reason, he wouldn't stop bleeding. "Get your hands off of this Sesshomaru!" he demanded with as much strength and volume in his voice as he could muster through the seething, ripping pains that were throttling his human form. "I require no assistance," he clipped onto the end of his outburst, realizing that he had reacted very rashly and emotionally.

The tajiya's eyebrows lowered over irritated chocolate brown orbs. "I understand that you are in pain, Sesshomaru-sama, but you mustn't take it out on me or let your pride be the end of you," she snapped aggressively down at him, consequently causing his dark brows to descend. "You have never been injured in a human body so you are forced to trust my judgment with what you need," she added, returning her gaze to her present task. Sango continued to stitch diligently and expertly as she had done many times, carefully gauging the human-turned dog demon's reactions to both her needlework and her pointed statement.

The inuyoukai laid quietly, but not happily, as he mulled over his next retort and attempt to be free from her treatments. He disliked this stitching the demon slayer was employing with great intent and saw no need for it; were ningen bodies that incapable of healing quickly on their own? He also disliked the "pills" that she had forced down his throat earlier when he was only partially conscious, although he was feeling mild relief in his extremities. He was distracted from his thoughts however, when thick and silky black hair from Sango's loose ponytail flitted over his flushed cheeks. He closed his eyes briefly and inhaled, only to be disappointed when he received no whiff of her scent lined with the musk of being in heat (which would have served as an excellent comfort at that moment) and instead was overwhelmed by alcohol and the iron of blood. He damned his human nose, acutely aware of how unrefined and useless it was compared to his inuyoukai sense of smell. _How do ningens survive without their senses?_ He grated internally, despising his altered countenance and personage.

Sango noted how silent and placid the Lord of the Western Lands had become beneath her deft fingertips and wondered what he could be thinking about. Her thoughts fled as she became lost in exploring his flawless human features as she cleansed his wounded flesh (with the 'antiseptics' and 'topical antibiotics' Kagome had supplied her with) and worked at patching pieces of it together so it would heal properly. It was eerie how he could still physically appear to be so… himself without the prominent and regal magenta streaks that had previously adorned his cheeks, honey colored eyes, or beautiful achromatic hair. _I suppose it is the same with Inuyasha when he takes on his human form once a month_, the lovely demon slayer thought to herself, tossing the hair that had slipped over one of her shoulders to the side and out of the way of her working space. _However Inuyasha has adjusted to his human form_, she added, her eyes stealing a glimpse of Sesshomaru's sculpted chest and shoulders which exuded perfection in definition and tone, even though they contained a stitch or two. A pair of bulbous eyes peered into the room.

"Is it safe to enter?" the voice of a raspy old man sounded from behind Sango as she diligently continued to patch the Taiyoukai up. The tajiya turned her head slightly to see the human form of Jaken standing sheepishly in the doorway of the dressing room that she and Sesshomaru had been occupying. The corners of her full lips turned up in a kind smile and she nodded.

"I don't think it would have been about 15 minutes ago," the demon slayer chuckled, catching the murky eyes of the human turned dog demon. _He seems to have calmed down a bit. That's good_, she thought as she tied up the final knots on her stiches before biting the thread loose with her teeth, her eyes scrutinizing the man who was lying on the elevated mat that she had found. His features and overall form were tense from his injuries but other than that, he surprisingly appeared to be quite well.

Jaken's bulbous brown eyes were wide as he glanced up at his Lord's mangled body. "Oh Lord Sesshomaru!" he cried, tears starting to fall from his luminous orbs. "This Jaken thought you were surely going to die! You were unconscious for at least an hour!" the toad continued to blubber, causing his master's semblance to become laced with animosity and frustration. The proud dog demon was normally never thrilled with his vassal's overly exuberant displays of drama and affection and at that moment, they seemed even more bothersome with his current emotional capacity and depth.

"Leave me be," the Taiyoukai stated evenly, tension underlying his voice as his muddy colored eyes stared at the ceiling. "All of you."

Jaken backed away with eyes agape, nodding mutely before he scurried out of the room. He knew that when his Sesshomaru-sama delivered orders in that manner, there was simply no room for negotiation. Sango's eyes followed the human turned toad as he made his swift and effective exit, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. Was leaving him alone in this state the best solution to this problem? He had undergone a transformation from the all-powerful demon dog of the Western Lands to a very mortal and vulnerable human all in a matter of hours and had almost bled to death; that was a lot to conquer on one's own, demon or not.

"Sesshomaru-sama," the tajiya began, her voice soft but she pursed her lips together when his head snapped around in her direction, his dark brown eyes firing with intensity. Sango's breath caught in her throat when his gaze fixated upon her; she felt as if he was almost undressing her with his eyes due to the raw energy that abounded in his murky depths.

"I wish to be alone," the inuyoukai ordered, the tautness and resolve in his voice was unwavering.

The young woman reached for part of her long ponytail and nervously ran her fingers through the fine, raven colored strands of hair, her breathing cadence returning to normal. "I really don't think that would be the best idea," she pressed, feeling a wave of nausea and constriction through her mid-section. _Wonderful_, she cringed, moving a hand from her hair onto her abdomen in an idle attempt to stave off the pain. She was still experiencing menses, though she hadn't had the time or energy to focus on it until this point now that the events of the day had slowed down.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed as he gauged her body's motions, feeling uninformed and as if he was only seeing half of what she was experiencing. He cursed his human senses again, as he could not hear the alteration in the rhythmic beating of her heart, catch the changes in her scent, or notice the finer motor details of her movements. Needing a distraction from the unusual and unbearable agony of his wounds as well as the loss of his demon senses, he queried, "what ails you, Sango?" willing his voice to be void of emotion regardless of the numbing pain he felt in his periphery. The tajiya's cheeks flushed instantaneously when she realized that he was inquiring about her well-being and then wondered what kind of an answer she was to give.

"Well," she began, wondering how much information she should divulge to him; after all, he was a male and males often didn't enjoy discussing the events that a woman's body must go through in order to have children. She recalled her father's flabbergasted reaction when she told him of the red that had appeared in her kimono and how he had raced her straight over to her friend's mother who explained to her the alterations that were taking place within her pubertal body; she had had more questions answered by Kagome also. Apparently the wise men had studied and learned much more about these 'periods,' as Kagome seemed to call them, in her time.

Though he was a male, Sesshomaru had been able to smell the subtle changes in her scent, of that she was certain. Her cheeks grew hot again when she remembered the way his honey colored eyes were fixated on her before that menacing youkai had come to the scene… those tawny pools of light that had seared her with their passionate heat. _I wonder if he realized he was doing that?_ she mused before deciding that she would discuss this particular topic with him, especially since he had been on his death bed just hours ago. It was also likely that he was fishing for other topics to contemplate rather than confront the fact that he had been turned into a human.

"Well…?" the taiyoukai lying on the bed pressed, his voice terse and slightly irritated which served to break Sango from her reverie. His dark brown eyes, in great majority, were emotionless, save for a flicker of curiosity that escaped for a brief moment.

"Gomen ne," she chuckled, praying to Kami-sama for the cessation of ruddy cheeks in the attractive and haughty youkai's presence. What on earth was the matter with her? "I am on my period," she told him frankly, wrapping her arms around her tender chest, her chocolate orbs never leaving the gaze of his coffee-colored ones. The inuyoukai turned human stared at her blankly before one slender eyebrow arched.

"Your… period," he replied skeptically, feeling slightly at a loss. Apparently he was not as well educated as he presumed to be. What was a period in the context that she was employing it? Was that a human term that he had failed to study in his father's library over the years? Sango's cheeks maintained their pink hue as a smile was making an appearance on her lips. She hadn't ever seen his gears turn in such a manner before; either his carefully constructed façade of stoicism was faltering or perhaps there was only so much emotion that human Sesshomaru could mask at one time.

After observing the flustered human woman for several moments, Sesshomaru came to a conclusion based on what he was seeing. "It appears to be a condition where your countenance turns red and remains as such for minutes at a time," he remarked, schooling his voice to be neutral. His eyebrows lowered in irritation when the demon slayer burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. "Why do you laugh?" he asked, growing frustrated when he heard annoyance and confusion slipping past his emotional filter and into his voice.

Sango clasped her hands over her face as she wiped the tears from her eyes; she couldn't remember the last time she had laughed with that kind of ardor. "I'm so sorry," she wheezed, keeping her face hidden in her hands until she had ceased her giggles. He was surprisingly adorable, like a child almost, when he was unsure yet attempting to exude confidence; his venture actually wasn't the worst he could have made, based on the sensory information he had had available. "Sesshomaru-sama, I think that's the most amused I've been in months," she confessed, hoping that that would cheer him up a bit. She saw bewilderment flash over his face momentarily before it quickly disappeared. _Hm,_ she groaned internally_, not so cheerful_._ But I suppose I would not be either if my entire world had turned upside down_. She sighed, running a hand through her tousled hair, noticing that he was observing her every single movement with scrutiny. "Um," she began again, hoping this time to not confuse or frustrate him like she accidentally had. "Was my scent different to you earlier, as in before the youkai appeared?" she questioned him seriously, hoping that this would help him regain level ground as far as his emotions were concerned.

Human Sesshomaru's countenance relaxed slightly as he nodded his head as much as he could without pain. "Yes," he replied, his coffee brown eyes flickering with understanding. "Abdominal discomfort and emotional perturbation are normal, as you are in heat," he told her matter-of-factly, causing the tajiya to enter another state of blush.

"In… In heat?" she stammered, feeling as if she had been likened to a wild boar youkai or some other feral creature. She wasn't sure if she should be embarrassed or offended by that statement. Human women did not go into heat to her knowledge. Being 'in heat' sounded barbaric, lascivious, and like a commodity that she had no desire to have associated with her otherwise virginal flesh. "Don't animals go into heat?" she continued, her hands going to her cheeks subconsciously, hoping that they weren't burning off from all of the blood that they had been engorged with in the last 20 minutes. Sesshomaru's eyebrows knit together in thought as he continued to be vigilant of her reaction to his statement.

"It's my understanding that all creatures do at some point or another," he offered flatly, wondering if that would cease her repeated transformations into a human tomato. It appeared to be a painful process. Sango paused for a brief moment, her eyes meeting Sesshomaru's and she realized that he had been trying to make conversation with her, not humiliate her as had been his usual behavior in the past few days. Feeling sheepish, the demon slayer dropped her hands from her crimson cheeks and drew in a deep breath of air.

"I apologize," she began, shaking her head. It seemed so peculiar that they were holding this kind of conversation almost… successfully. _This would have been out of the question in his youkai form_, she mused as she shifted her stance. Perhaps deep down passed all the irritation and distaste for mankind, Sesshomaru was simply… curious; at least, that's what Sango had gathered based on their interactions since he had been stripped of his youki and forced to take on human form. "I suppose humans don't call it 'in heat' because that's what the farm animals, livestock, and other uncivilized wild animals and demons live and reproduce by," her eyes growing wide after the potentially offensive statement left her mouth. "Oh, Kami-sama Sesshomaru, I didn't mean—" the demon slayer began frantically, reaching out a hand to place it on a non-wounded part of his shoulder but he deliberately relocated it to evade her touch.

"So you believe all demons are wild animals that act only on their loins all the time in their natural environments," the human turned Taiyoukai interrupted, his voice hinting at anger though he was maintaining his fairly stoic façade. _Why does being a 'wild animal' in the sense that she has used it seem so repulsive _, he wondered, his chest tightening with irritating emotions and feelings that he couldn't quite interpret. Why did her opinions matter? He was a demon; he acted on instinct and bedded the female if she happened to be in heat. That's how it worked… _Ah_,_ there it is then_, he ground out internally realizing that by merely using his natural and logical thought process, he had partially proved her nonsensical and highly generalized point. However, he was now determined to do just the opposite of what she had claimed and to prove it to her. Sesshomaru fixated his face so that it conveyed only neutrality and lay motionless on the bed, simmering internally at his emotional vulnerability and at the maelstrom of human sentiments that were swirling around in his gut. This wasn't the end of this conversation, especially if she was to continue insulting him; wild animal or not, he was going to force her to eat and choke on her less than sensitive comments.

"Gomen ne," the tajiya offered quietly, more or less to appease her feelings of guilt than to accomplish anything else. _Great work, Sango. Now he'll continue to think terrible things about humans_, she thought, releasing a defeated breath. "Um, I'll go and take myself on a tour of the estate while you, uh… rest," she stammered, beginning to scurry towards the door to make an escape. _Would he even consider accepting an apology at this present moment?_ She pondered, shame weighing heavily in the depths of her stomach.

"Wild animals can feel immense physical desire and pleasure in a similar but more pronounced fashion than humans," Sesshomaru called after her in an icy tone before the young woman's lithe form had emigrated the chamber. Sango paused in her tracks, glancing halfway over her left shoulder to behold the human turned demon lord glaring haughtily at her from his supine position. "It is not all for procreation. At least those are the correspondences I receive when I decide to mate and partake in the joys of the flesh," he tacked on the end sternly, hoping that his pointed remark would make the young woman, who he had surmised in prior days to be innocent of a man's touch, uncomfortable.

Sango's eyes clouded over despondently before she turned on her heel unceremoniously and left the Taiyoukai alone in the chamber. He had always been rather inexperienced when it came to conversing with others, especially when it did not entail initiating battles, negotiating his terms, or having the last word. Normally a quip or retort of that nature would have left the dog demon feeling smug and victorious; after all, verbal battles were a favorite past-time outside of physical combat. Yet as he lay alone and estranged on the cot that served as a sick bed, he felt nauseas and… guilty. _I said nothing out of line that she did not deserve_, he rationalized internally yet was unable to ease his sentiments; he had actually been enjoying their conversation up to that point to a degree. He had been amused and intrigued by the idea that this particular human woman was complacent enough to discuss several more private parts of her personage with him. Sesshomaru heaved a deep breath that fluttered the dark mass of bangs that set upon his forehead. _I strongly dislike being human_, he thought as he closed his dark eyes, giving into both physical and mental fatigue.

* * *

Kirara let out a pain-stricken "meyowl!" as Sango yanked a purple comb through her long, soft golden hair as the two girls prepared for bed in one of the luxurious chambers of Sesshomaru's estate. The tajiya paused in her brush strokes momentarily and hung her head in shame. "Gomen ne, Kirara," she apologized, realizing that her mind had been elsewhere as she violently combed her fire neko's mass of human hair. She sighed, running a hand through her long ebony locks, her abdomen constricting with cramps and other discomforts.

Kirara turned around to face her beloved owner, snuggling into her shoulder as if to ask "what's wrong?" The young woman sighed, gently stroking the cat turned human's soft hair much more gently this time. "I sometimes forget that even you, one of my best companions, are a youkai," she told her feline friend, squeezing her more tightly. "And I do not think you are a wild animal," she added, planting a kiss on the top of her diminutive head before resting her cheek in that spot.

As the tajiya embraced the small girl, she was reminded of young Rin who was Kami-sama knows where at that point. She worked her lower lip between her teeth as she helped her human turned neko companion under the soft, silken blue blankets of their large futon. _We will come for you soon, Rin, _she thought as she quickly stripped out of her tight, leather jump suit that she wore during combat, minding her healing arm. But how soon was soon? She continued to worry as she slid her arms into a fresh, flowing red satin haori that she had found hanging in one of the open closets in the chamber. Coincidentally, it fit her almost perfectly.

If she couldn't find some way to transform her demon companions into their former selves then there was little hope of them ever finding Rin or that hateful youkai that had kidnapped her and stolen Sango's jewel shards. Shivers crawled up the slender young woman's spine as she remembered the vile, demanding touch of the demon's hands as they had deliberately crawled over every nook and cranny of her slim, toned body in their quest for her hidden jewel shards. She gulped and pulled her haori closer to her form, willing the discomfort that had come with that molestation to pass. She had hardly ever been touched by a man, save for houshi-sama's occasional fondling of her backside or grasp of her chest when she had been off her guard; even then he would stop when coerced. She breathed deeply several times to slow the fast-paced beating of her heart. _Oh Miroku_, she thought longingly, flopping onto the edge of the futon opposite the side that Kirara was slumbering on. What she wouldn't have given to have that lecherous monk grab her backside to teleport her mind away from the treacherous events of this day.

Sighing ruefully, the young woman's luminous chocolate brown orbs floated over every exterior and piece of furniture in the bedroom; she took in every detail, noting the carvings of inuyoukai in their true form on the handles of the various chest of drawers. Sango rested her chin on her hand as she continued brainstorming; her eyes drifted to the ceiling as she thought, _is there a way to communicate with Inuyasha and Kagome-chan without it taking a week or two?_ A yawn took the dark haired woman by surprise. _Well, it has been an excessively long day_, Sango concluded, crawling up the futon toward the pillows before she shrouded herself with the exuberant, silken blankets. _Who knows how long I will sleep anyway with all that is happening_, she added before drifting off into deep slumber.

* * *

Sango was jostled awake by Ah-Un, both heads grunting and squealing, some hours into the night. The tajiya calmed the two headed human, asking what the matter was very gently. Before she could comprehend their movements, the creature darted from the room with superhuman swiftness, leaving her with a startled Kirara on the futon. "Gomen ne, little one," the young woman apologized softly, willing the golden haired girl to go back to sleep. "Please rest; I'll go see what's happening."

Leaving the warmth of the futon swiftly, Sango tied the red haori up loosely as she jogged light on her feet, calling to Ah-Un down the dimly lit and expansive corridor. She made out the shape of a prominent two headed figure that stood upon two legs and headed in that direction. As she drew closer, she heard random moans coming from the room that she had dressed Sesshomaru's wounds in earlier. Her heart leapt into her throat as she picked up her running pace, panic setting in.

Sango burst unceremoniously into the chamber to behold Ah-Un weeping over the cot that held a writhing, trembling Sesshomaru. "Stand back," the tajiya ordered and the dragon moved out of the way compliantly. The young woman's eyes darted over the Taiyoukai's wrenching, shivering form in trepidation, her heart pounding in her ears. The sight of this man who was fatally wounded and in anguish struck a familiar chord in the young demon slayer; Sango felt tears prick into the corners of her eyes as sentiments that she had buried months ago when her beloved monk had passed were flushed to the surface. She blinked her eyes forcefully, willing the formation of the salty liquid to cease. _Get ahold of yourself, Sango, _she commanded of herself, bewildered at her reaction to seeing Sesshomaru in his current state of affliction. She swallowed hard _Am I feeling this way because I was helpless to stop Miroku's death?_ She wondered, her chest tightening as her dark eyes lowered to gaze at the inuyoukai who lay tortured on the cot. Was she to be in the presence of another person on their death bed without having the proper means to prevent it?

The Taiyoukai was drenched with sweat, had chattering teeth, and appeared to be having a horrible night terror. The young woman reached forward to rouse him gently but gasped in alarm when his flesh was boiling under her touch, though his teeth were clattering together as if he were frigid. Her eyes probed the expanse of his body; she had seen this once before when Kagome had sustained fatal wounds during a battle. To her dismay, Sango identified several spots along her stitches on the dog demon turned human's shuddering form that were beginning to yellow.

_He's infected_, the tajiya surmised, her pounding heart threatening to take hold of her sanity. She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. Images of the proud and stunningly beautiful dog demon flashed through her mind, causing her aching bosom to fill with momentary warmth; she could almost hear him scoffing in her general direction at her lack of confidence in her ability to act under the immense pressure of the situation. _Foolish ningen_, an imaginary youkai Sesshomaru snorted in her direction, his honey colored orbs taunting her and her weakness.

The strong young woman's eyes snapped open, the chocolate brown pools filled with determination and earnestness. _He won't die_, she told herself as she quickly tied her sleep tousled hair back and out of her flushed face. _I won't allow it_.

"Ah-Un, is there a place where herbs are grown on the grounds?" the tajiya demanded, aware of the urgency and abrasiveness in her voice. The female head of the dragon nodded, letting out a small sound of confirmation as her reply. Sango was lost in thought momentarily as she mulled over the current options by which to treat the infected, feverish Taiyoukai. _If we can make a tea of sorts with healing herbs_ _like we did for Kagome-chan than perhaps his body will stand a better chance_, she decided, fixing her eyes back on the anxious two headed human that was poised before her.

"Ah-Un, I need you to rouse Jaken," the young woman told the beast firmly. The creature's two heads glanced at each other blankly before they returned, aghast, to stare at Sango. Her eyebrows lowered over her smoldering chocolate brown orbs, her hands going to her hips. "Why do you hesitate? Is the toad youkai not a night person?" she demanded, her eyes intolerant of any excuses, as Sesshomaru's moans were beginning to become more frequent. When she did not receive an answer, Sango took two steps forward toward the twin headed human, choosing her words very carefully. "Tell Jaken-sama that his dear Lord Sesshomaru is going to pass on if he does not awaken, find a book of herbal remedies for wound sickness, and then make me one from plants he finds in the herbal garden."

Both pairs of dark eyes widened at her order but the creature spun around and left the chamber before the human woman could process the rapid movements. _Perhaps not all the youki has left that one_, she thought quickly before her attention was diverted to the much more pressing matter. "All right," she whispered, reaching into the sack she had left purposefully on the floor in the event that Sesshomaru needed his wound dressings tended to. She rifled around the bag until she found the object of her desire; it was a small white bottle with a purple label that contained pills which she knew would reduce the fever.

"_Remember!" Kagome asserted seriously, placing small white bottles into each of Sango's toughened hands. "The red label means pain relief and reduced swelling. The purple label means the medicine will act quickly to reduce a fever." The young woman sat back on her heels beaming at Sango. The tajiya could only return a smile and emit a chuckle._

"_You truly are a nurse at heart, Kagome-chan," she mused, tucking the bottles into her pack before she rolled onto her heels to stand up. "I appreciate you taking care of me."_

_Kagome's cheeks flushed red in embarrassment and she quickly tried to downplay her kind and very helpful gesture. "Aw, it's nothing," she replied. "I just hope they're useful to you."_

_I'm not sure you realize how useful they are going to be my friend,_ Sango thought, pressing down on the bottle and twisting to release what her companion from a different time had referred to as a "child resistant" cap. She dropped two small, cylindrical white pills into one of her palms before she pulled off the cap to the water container her dear friend from the future had also supplied her with at one point. She shook her head, a tiny grin lighting her lips. _Oh Kagome-chan, how I wish you were here with me now_.

Sango was yanked from her reverie by an absurdly loud groan from the frenzied, feverish man on the cot above her. She leapt to her feet and propped the human turned inuyoukai's head on top of one of her arms. Sesshomaru shuddered violently beneath her, perspiration streaming down his face and dripping onto the cot which held him. The young woman used her free hand to gently slap at the trembling man's cheek as a mild attempt to rouse him so that he could take the medicine consciously and not choke.

Before she could process the movement, a large hand swept up and latched onto her arm with a force and power that caught her off guard. The heat from the human turned demon's feverish body was uncomfortable on her wrist where she was being held in a vicegrip, yet Sango did not shift her stance. "Oh," she muttered, swallowing down the bile that had risen in her throat. The demon slayer slowly turned her head and realized she was being entranced by a pair of bloodshot, coffee colored eyes that were clouded with consternation and angst.

Sesshomaru panted through chattering teeth, his body convulsing as he fought to regain a grip on his control. _Merely a nightmare_, he concluded, the wracking of his limbs drawing him to the present where he was reminded of the events that had transpired earlier in the day and of the tremendous wounds he had sustained in a human chassis. He was partially relieved that the hell he had been experiencing moments before was merely a nightmare yet was unsettled because it seemed as if he were freezing to death. He also felt his right hand arresting something soft and warm… _What…?_ The dog demon thought bemusedly before he discovered that Sango's feminine form was crouched over him, her arm a prisoner to the death clutch that he was maintaining on her wrist.

"So you are awake," the tajiya said softly, breathing a sigh of relief when the human turned inuyoukai released the unrelenting hold he had taken on her arm. She rubbed her wrist softly as her chocolate brown orbs roamed over the expanse of his injuries before catching his muddy gaze. "How do you feel?" she asked gently, noting that he seemed far less tortured and pained in an awakened state.

Sesshomaru scoffed through his nose, his gaze shifting away from the young woman's slender form. He found it difficult to meet her lovely, worried eyes. _She is troubled over me_, he frowned inwardly, ensuring that his sweating face was devoid of emotion. In his youkai body, he disliked the sentiments that often accompanied Rin's concern and worries when she expressed them verbally or portrayed it in her large, dark pools of chocolate brown. Pity shown towards him was unacceptable and in general, unwelcomed. In his human form, the Taiyoukai was found Sango's concern to be doubly difficult to digest. In an attempt to still his scattered mind, he queried, "why does it feel as if winter has arrived?" his deep baritone voice tremulous from the shivers of the fever.

The young woman remembered the white fever reducing pills that she held in one of her hands that were meant for the Taiyoukai. Calculating coffee colored orbs observed her as she propped his head up again with one of her arms; the demon dog really had no choice other than to relax his neck as it rested upon her forearm. "Some of your wounds have become infected, though I did my best to prevent it," Sango explained carefully, noting that his dark brows furrowed slightly when she mentioned the word infection. "You feel cold because your body has induced a fever to help battle it," at least that was how Kagome had explained it, based on what her mother had told her.

"Infection," he answered between vibrating teeth. Infections of the physical nature from wounds had never been a bother to the likes of him; the poison that coursed through his veins as a youkai aided in the defenses of his immune system whenever he had sustained huge losses of blood or flesh. _Another reason why I detest this human vessel,_ he thought in detestation, longing for his stolen youki.

"Yes," the dark haired woman replied, regret laced throughout her voice. "I… I took precautionary measures but it seems they were not effective." She shot Sesshomaru an apologetic glance, unable to decipher his reaction at that moment as he had managed to put up an emotionless front. _He is handling his helplessness incredibly well_, Sango thought before continuing. "I have medicine that will help reduce the fever you have at present," she offered, pinching the two cylindrical tablets between her index finger and thumb so he could see them. "I've also sent Jaken to make an herbal tea for you that should help your body exterminate the infection more rapidly," she added, hoping he would be compliant with swallowing the medicine; half unconscious he had battled with her when she had given him the pills from the bottle with the red label hours earlier.

Sesshomaru's muddy eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the two cylindrical pellets; what was this magic that Sango kept providing him with that had helped to reduce his pain and also a fever? He hated to admit it, but the 'medicine' she had given him earlier had worked at that time. Perhaps it couldn't be harmful to try this other kind of pill if it meant he would stop shivering and shuddering despite the fact that he was perspiring excessively. "Very well," he told her, opening his mouth slightly so she could drop the medicine into his mouth.

The tajiya inserted the two pills into his mouth, the edge of her fingertips lightly grazing his warm lower lip because he was trembling with chills; she blushed slightly, feeling somewhat clumsy before she brought the water bottle to his lips, pouring the cool, clear liquid slowly between them as she held his head in place. The human turned inuyoukai observed the young woman and her tender demeanor over the edge of the water container as he swallowed, the pills sliding down his throat with the water. His eyes flickered briefly to the loosely tied haori that donned her slim form; from his vantage point he caught glimpses of apricot colored skin several times as she moved about above him, tending to his needs.

The young woman drew the water bottle back from the Taiyoukai's lips and found herself fixating on the drops of water that had escaped the crevices of his mouth and were trailing down his chin to rest on his bare, chiseled chest. She swallowed, shifting her eyes elsewhere so that her cheeks would not take on their characteristic ruddy hue whenever she felt sheepish or embarrassed. "It might take some time for those pills to work," she told him softly, her voice slightly shaky. To keep herself busy, Sango restored the medicine bottle and water container that Kagome had supplied her with to her bag. The air around the stunningly handsome dark-haired man who lay on the cot had become surprisingly stuffy and thick.

"You are flustered," human Sesshomaru remarked with small tremors in his tone from the fever, his voice implying that she should cease trying to avoid him by ruffling around in her bag on the ground. The young woman paused in her actions and slowly stood up, meeting the youkai's deep brown eyes; she knew full well that when he said 'flustered' he had meant aroused. Even in human embodiment without heightened demon senses, the Taiyoukai's intuition remained untouched. Sango's breath caught in her throat for a moment, her reign on her feelings quite loose at that moment; she mentally cursed herself for being female and having to undergo exhausting emotional and physical anguish for several days every month. _Kami-sama, it almost seems a coincidence that all of these events have taken place in the last few days_, she mused before attempting to change the subject.

"Are you still cold?" she asked, instead of replying to the proud dog demon's quip as she noted the goosebumps that lined his arms and that his nipples were standing erect. She smiled softly when his brow furrowed slightly in what she presumed to be disappointment, as she had disregarded his previous statement. However, Sesshomaru could not mask his obvious discomfort that the fever and the pains from his wounds were inflicting upon him.

"Yes," the Taiyoukai answered promptly, his coffee eyes rolling over the designs on the ceiling of the chamber. The frigid sensation was beginning to make him feel out of sorts; he could not recall ever experiencing chills like these. "But this Sesshomaru will not be swaddled in blankets," he informed the young woman who was serving as his nurse, his tone unwavering. Sango chuckled warmly, placing her hands on her shapely hips as she shook her head mildly.

"Well, you don't have many other options," the demon slayer informed him, her mind wandering to Jaken and Ah-Un. _I wonder if they've found what we need yet_, she mused, glancing over at Sesshomaru once again, finding that his brown eyes were scrutinizing her as he lay on the sick bed. "I would suggest a warm bath but I have been told that that could make things worse." The demon slayer began fiddling with the ties of her red haori, her mind imagining a scenario where she was responsible for undressing the muscled human turned youkai and then helping him cleanse his body. Her face threatened to blaze pink once again but she stubbornly refused to let it surface, regardless of how much those thoughts reminded her of the dream she had had where Sesshomaru had been calling her to bed…

A slender eyebrow arched sarcastically. "You, who beam crimson at the thought of your own fertility cycle, would help this Sesshomaru into a water basin," he asked, sardonicism heavy in his voice, feeling a sense of satisfaction when the tajiya began to appear flustered again. "I shall believe that, when I see it." To his surprise, warmth began to pulse through his lower extremities furthermore. _This is incredible_, the demon thought incredulously. _She merely moves and my human body responds_. As he gauged the young woman's response, he thought of his father and wondered if these thoughts and feelings he was currently enduring were perhaps how the powerful Inutaisho had lowered himself into mating with a human to produce that vile half-breed Inuyasha...

Sango's eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms over her sore chest, aware that her mood had taken a drastic swing in the past couple of minutes. "Well, you must be feeling somewhat better if you have the energy to taunt me," she glowered, a bit miffed that he was implying that she had a weak constitution when it came to the male gender. _He does have a point_, she thought in irritation. She had always been uptight whenever Miroku had made attempts to 'cop a feel' as referenced by Kagome and was in general, inexperienced when it came to anything related to lovemaking. The only times she had truly been touched by a man were in her last moments with her beloved houshi-sama and when the demon assailant had tried to have his way with her in his search for her jewel shards.

The inuyoukai had hoped to diffuse the sexual tension that had been lingering in the air with his dry remark but his quip had seemed to thicken it. He loathed his amplified feelings of lust and desire furthermore when he felt a tell-tale sensation between his hips; the demon rolled his eyes in the direction of his feet inconspicuously and noted that he was alert and awake, so to speak. Sesshomaru, the Lord of the Western Lands, had never encountered this form of a situation before; as a youkai, one could control the physical manifestations of passion, desire, and lust as they saw fit. Were human vessels so incapable of this? His manhood seemed to have its own personality!

Luckily for the Taiyoukai, Sango remained oblivious to his physical display of internal feelings as she still was rummaging through the frustration with herself for being so naïve when it came to men. Sighing and running a hand through her hair, the tajiya let her shoulders sag a bit; she had been tensing them without even realizing it. "Gomen ne, Sesshomaru," she breathed, feeling the need to be alone with her thoughts for a bit. The inuyoukai's fever appeared to be breaking as the medicine sat in to take effect; the shivers and shudders that had been rumbling through his body had decreased in intensity. "I should go find Jaken and Ah-Un to see if they've found what we need in order to make you an herbal remedy."

Sesshomaru's dark eyes narrowed at her statement and he wondered why she was politely attempting to flee from his presence. Surely his remark couldn't have rattled her to that extreme; she was made of more substantial things than that, regardless of her fluctuating hormones. The Taiyoukai began to experience a sentiment akin to disappointment as she reached for a blanket that had been strewn on a chair kitty corner in the chamber to his cot. "Surely you've not taken offense to what I've said, foolish human," he began, his voice more coarse and intense than he had intended it to be. "Especially not after you implied that I was a wild animal and merely acted on my loins."

Sango paused, bed cloth in hand, before she turned around slowly to face the inuyoukai who appeared to be fixated on agitating her in that moment. "I tried to apologize to you," she spat, irritation lining her normally kind and gentle voice. "Then you had to tell me about all the female demons that you've made love to and how they begged you for more," she growled, stunned at the words that had escaped her lips. Was this really what had been occupying her thoughts and why she had been so reactive towards his prior commentary? She swallowed, her chocolate brown orbs wide in shock at her boldness and brutal honesty. _What do I say now?_ The young woman groaned internally, feeling exposed and mortified, as she buried her face in the blanket that she was going to lay atop of Sesshomaru's wounded form.

Unsure of how to respond to the vibrantly charged verbal assault that Sango had let fly from her lips, the demon dog lay motionless for several seconds. He couldn't understand why she had essentially covered herself with the blanket she had retrieved, but could only gather that she had alarmed herself with her retort that had been voiced aloud. Again, sickening guilt crept into his chest cavity when he recalled how seemingly wounded she had appeared when he had told her of his prior sexual escapades. _Perhaps it was unnecessary_, Sesshomaru concluded, though only hours before he had had little difficulty justifying his actions.

"Sango," he called to her softly, his deep voice void of feeling. Chocolate brown eyes glanced up from the magenta expanse of blankets that she was attempting to shroud over her visage; they were glossy, almost as if she had been crying. The Taiyoukai ignored the pangs of guilt that continued to clamor about in his middle, turning his head to regard the young woman more properly. "This human body leaves me disgruntled, thus I react in ways that even I do not comprehend," he told her, leaving it up to her to interpret his meaning. Admitting he was wrong had never been atop the list of skills that he possessed as the Lord of the Western Lands.

The human woman blinked a few times before she lowered the blanket from her face. Had that been some sort of apology? "Well, for what it is worth, I likely should not have told you about my per—" she started to say before amending her statement. "My being in heat," she continued, taking a few hesitant steps towards the cot that the attractive human turned youkai occupied, "as you were muddling through your human transformation and nearly dying from your wounds." She spread the blanket out over Sesshomaru's body, noticing that he was no longer seizing with chills. Perhaps he didn't even require a blanket for warmth anymore. "Sometimes it is a human thing to think of only your hard times, even if another is enduring real pain. I apologize for thinking only of myself," she finished, resting her hands on the inuyoukai's blanketed chest tenderly as a gesture of peace, her dusty brown eyes and full mouth smiling softly at him.

For the first time since the demon had become human, he did not fight to keep his normally placid, emotionless façade in place and his coffee colored eyes filled with genuine wonder at the young woman standing before him. What was this unfamiliar sensation that surged from his head to his toes, leaving him feeling astoundingly at peace with his surroundings? His mouth went dry when the warmth of the demon slayer's hands on the blanket began to dissipate as she slowly pulled them away from where they had been positioned, his eyes catching the bottom curve of her breast as it peeked out for but a moment from her loosely fitting haori. The Taiyoukai felt as if he were going to go have a nervous breakdown and an insatiable laughing spell all at once as a searing pain became apparent between his hips. _Kami-sama, has this human transformation driven me mad?_ He thought anxiously, for the first time in his life feeling at a loss for how to regain control of his feelings and the current situation he was in. His dark brown eyes darted about as he fought to regain his composure, clenching his teeth together as the obvious pain in his groin intensified. He felt as if his loins were going to erupt in an unnatural and gruesome way.

"Sesshomaru-sama?" Sango gasped, wondering what had sent the inuyoukai turned human on the bed into a frenzied state; he appeared to be in terribly anxious and in horrible pain. "What's wrong?" she demanded, reaching forward to steady him on the bed as he tried to sit up, his legs beginning to rummage underneath the blanket. "You need to sit still or you'll tear all of your stitches open!" she shouted at him sternly, swinging one leg up onto the cot so that she was straddling him, attempting to keep him in place with all her might.

"Get off of me," the man rasped, no longer able to process anymore sensory information. He pitched his control and sense of composure, acting only on his gut impulses. His trembling hands reached up and latched onto Sango's waist so that he could hurl her onto the floor away from him; he did not want her to continue seeing him like this. It would be so much easier to suffer alone rather than have her fret and attempt to help him more than she already had. The action of grabbing the slim demon slayer's middle consequently brought her hips cascading down on top of his; upon contact with his body, the young woman's eyes grew three times their size.

"W-what is THAT?" she screeched, as she flailed out of the human turned demon's clutches and fell onto the floor unceremoniously. She panted, struggling to get to her feet as she continued gaping at Sesshomaru's writhing body. Her eyes darted to his abdominal region and her hands over her mouth to stifle her shriek of alarm. _The blanket is standing on its own!_ She thought in horror, drawing in ragged breaths. _Is that his…_ she continued, her face growing hot before the demon lord startled her by emitting a desperate growl.

"Kami-sama," the man seethed in agony, fully sitting up despite his stitched up wounds to stuff his hands onto his seemingly exploding groin. He panted as he continued to apply pressure to his loins, the urgency and pain slowly beginning to dissipate. He glanced up from his crotch momentarily, his face flushed, to behold Sango who stood petrified in one place. Her chocolate brown eyes were filled with shock, disbelief, and utter confusion. Sesshomaru swallowed hard, able to comprehend his surroundings and environment much more clearly now that the pain was subsiding. "I require water," he ground out, his throat feeling raw and sore.

The tajiya found herself unable to move. "What… what on earth?" she began to ask but couldn't puzzle together how to finish her question.

"Water," the inuyoukai repeated more sternly this time, hoping to shatter the woman's trance. "If you don't cease gaping at it, it will linger," he remarked forcefully, urging the young woman to do what he willed. Was it possible that his accumulated arousal upon her entering the chamber this second time had produced this horrific sensation in his loins? Regardless of what had occurred, he decided that it was never going to allow it to happen again.

"Oh!" Sango cried, realizing that she was still in a state of shock and staring right at the space between his hips. She was the color of a cherry tomato by that point yet willed herself to get moving and get the dog demon a drink. She bent slowly and grabbed her water bottle, unscrewing the cap before handing it quickly to Sesshomaru. She found it very difficult to meet his gaze, her thoughts centered on the massive bulge she had beheld and felt beneath the blanket. _Was that because of me?_ She wondered, feeling excitement and warmth course through her middle at the thought; if that were the case, then that was probably one of the best compliments the cold, human-loathing Lord of the Western Lands could have ever paid her. The young woman was pulled from her thoughts when she felt the bottom of the water bottle resting on her head from her crouched position on the floor. She grabbed it hastily, screwed the cap back on, and slowly stood up; hopefully he felt somewhat better after a drink of water.

Sesshomaru eyed her, his breathing still somewhat labored but almost returned to normal. "That… that has never happened before," he told her honestly, his voice laced with fatigue; his dark eyes were also filled with exhaustion as he scrutinized her. "This Sesshomaru—" the Taiyoukai began before he read the young woman's crimson visage. She appeared to be peaceful and… pleased? His brow furrowed in slight irritation. "Do you know something I do not?" he asked her, making it apparent that he did not want to be left in the dark on this matter.

Sango gulped and scratched behind her neck nervously. She recalled a conversation she had accidentally misheard between Inuyasha and Miroku a while ago when the two were off collecting firewood. Miroku had appeared to understand a horrible pain that Inuyasha had experienced upon being alone with Kagome for too long in a compromising and physical position. _I feel as if I shouldn't be explaining this because I don't fully understand_, she thought bemusedly but realized that Sesshomaru was likely going to continue pressing her until she divulged what she knew. True to form, the Taiyoukai's smoldering dark brown orbs were burning holes into her body as she continued to stay entranced by her thoughts.

"Please don't be upset, as I'm likely going to explain this wrong," the tajiya began, wishing for all the world that some other human or somewhat human man could have been present to talk about what had happened to the demon lord.

"Go on," Sesshomaru implored, one of his slender eyebrows arching impatiently. His abdomen felt tight from Sango's stitching earlier, yet he had miraculously not torn any of them he realized when he glanced down at himself briefly. To his relief, his massive bulge had also dissipated.

"Well, apparently when men are aroused for too long without… er… doing something about it, then the body fights back," she stammered, not caring that she appeared to be absolutely unsure of herself. She was, after all!

"Human men cannot contain their arousal without erupting their loins?" the demon lord asked, his voice coated in disbelief and slight amusement. Sango reached up to run a hand over her hot face. This was so uncomfortable and embarrassing. She had probably learned more about the male gender today than she had throughout the course of her life.

"That… that is how I understand it," she replied, her eyes fixated on the human turned inuyoukai as she wondered what he was going to do next.

Sesshomaru sat quietly as his mind digested what the young woman had told him. He began to ponder how human men and women could have harmonious physical relationships if the men constantly had to battle with physical consequences, such as what he had just experienced, when females seemed to be unaffected. _It likely ends with men begging to bed their women frequently_, he mused. If human women were anything akin to female youkai then the men were often disappointed or forced to deal with exploding gentalia. "I'm sure you can see why this Sesshomaru would like to have his youki back," the demon lord finally stated aloud, catching Sango's attention. "And why I have a disdain for human kind," he finished before he laid back down on the cot, his long dark hair flushing behind him.

Sango was a bit crest-fallen at his reply but couldn't really blame him. As a youkai he was accustomed to healing himself and being able to control both his emotions and lusts without consequence; it couldn't have been easy to be forced into such a downgrade after living for hundreds of years in a much more efficient body. "For what it's worth," Sango began, feeling somewhat brave and hoping to ease his frustration with his human body, "I've never had a man react to me in such a way; at least, not that I was aware of."

Sesshomaru's breath caught in his throat and his chest tightened. He glared at Sango for making such an unabashed comment. It was bad enough that he had revealed such an emotional display to her without being in a state of fever or delirium yet she had just deepened its severity by drawing further attention to it. "You would do well to forget that you ever witnessed that," he told her in a low, menacing voice. "I am male and a human male at that. As we have established, I cannot be responsible for the reactions of my body if you allow certain parts of your flesh to be exposed."

Sango took a step back at his response, cursing herself for overstepping her bounds. She glanced down at her attire and came to the realization that her body had been tempting him unknowingly; she hadn't tied the robe all that tightly around her form and her stomach began to ache. What had she done to him? Drawing in a shaky breath, the tajiya pulled the haori around her form much more tightly and rebound the straps so that it would be impossible for any part of her apricot skin to shine through any openings in the robe. "I… I didn't know…" she trailed off, her hormones shifting again; tears began welling in her eyes. "Damn it," she muttered, swiftly wiping her eyes.

Sesshomaru, with blistered pride, disregarded her crying and made a growling sound deep within his throat. "I could never touch a human and truly enjoy it," he spat at her, causing her to cease wiping her eyes in mid-motion. She was going to pay the price for calling out his weaknesses, regardless of how much she wept. Feeling her chocolate orbs focusing in on him in disbelief and hurt, the Taiyoukai pressed on, his resolve wavering as he spoke. "Consider yourself lucky that my human body even reacted to you; you are far too tough and battled to truly cause arousal."

The young woman's hand dropped to her side, bile rising in her throat. She made an attempt to swallow back her tears but they kept sliding from her eyes down her cheeks. _Why does this hurt so much?_ She wondered, her chest and stomach tight with grief; perhaps a part of her had reveled in Sesshomaru's potent arousal and his physically manifested desire more than she had been able to consciously comprehend. Swallowing, the young woman's hands clenched into fists as she began to harden her heart. "What… what horrible things you've said," she muttered just loud enough so he could hear. "I'm sorry that I ever came here with you," she continued, her dark eyes glaring at the cold, proud demon Lord. "I really wish I hadn't," she sent in his direction before she spun around quickly and left the room.

The Taiyoukai was too livid to consider the consequences of his actions but was pleased that he was free from her presence for the moment. That human woman had caused him far more grief and sentiment in just a few days compared to the other hundreds of years of his life. He clenched his fists angrily as he mulled her bold statement in her head. She should have known better than to inform him that he'd been the first to ever become so aroused in her presence that he couldn't contain himself. She also should have taken care to lace up her haori properly; was she not aware of how curvaceous her figure was though she engaged in excessive amounts of physical exercise as a trained slayer of demons?

Closing his eyes and exhaling sharply, Sesshomaru realized that both of his accusations of her ended with a flaw in his character, which was difficult and nearly impossible for him to admit. _I am an animal_, he thought, irked with himself because he knew his actions, in combination with his earlier thoughts, were further proof of this. His dark gaze floated to the door of the chamber where Sango had left him several minutes ago and then down to the sack that she had left beneath the cot. Running an exhausted hand through his long, sweat matted ebony hair, the demon lord mentally began to devise a way to compensate for the shortcomings in his personality and not act like an animal. Perhaps if he learned to do that, Rin might actually have a better upbringing as well…

_Rin_… Sesshomaru thought, realizing that he had nearly forgotten about the girl after he'd been roused from his fever induced nightmare. The demon slayer had proved to be an excellent distraction. The Taiyoukai closed his eyes, remnants of the dream flitting through his mind. He had to renew his strength and power quickly and figure out how to recover his missing youki, he resolved as he adjusted his position on the cot._ Else I'm not sure what I will do…_

* * *

_Ending Writer's Corner:_

Whoooooaa buddy. That was quite a fight that Sango and Sesshomaru had, no? I just kept writing and it just sort of happened. Seems like they both have things to work through, but what solid couples don't?

Anyways, I hope I was able to continue with the energy, creativity, and cohesiveness that you all enjoy so much! I'm hoping to update again soon (and not in 5 years _).

Thanks!

Ray Jay


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